These alterations are far more common in women, as frequently mentioned before, as their sexual glands and thyroid are so often irritated by physiological and pathological processes peculiar to her sex, and which so frequently recur during the life of a woman. It is a fact that most of the diseases of the female sexual mechanism are followed by alterations in the intestines, due, in part, to their close proximity to the pelvic organs, but, in a greater degree, to the intimate relation of these regions to the nerves that control the intestines. The same is true to a lesser degree in man, so that after troubles with the prostate, or after chronic gonorrhœa, a regulation of the bowels is an important matter, constipation being usually very obstinate in such cases. In addition to this sluggishness of the bowels in females, owing to anatomical and physiological causes, there may be associated faults arising from a bad habit. Instead of paying special regard to the innate tendency toward constipation and endeavoring to have a movement every day, many women, especially young girls, neglect this by even resisting the demand of the intestine to be evacuated, and deferring this most important function to the following day, or even later. Such a course necessarily lowers the vitality of the intestinal nerves and muscles. As soon as such a nervous impulse is felt, we must promptly act on it; should we not do so a greater nervous and muscular effort must follow, and, if even then we neglect to obey the call of Nature, after several such useless efforts the nerves and muscles of the intestines will relax, particularly if such a foolish practice be often repeated, for it is quite natural that such an intestine will not respond to the stimulation by the pressure of its contents upon the nerves, and its muscles will not contract to expel the fæcal contents, as in normal people. Unless, therefore, from force of circumstances, it is impossible, we must at once respond to the first admonition of the intestines, and not exhaust the vitality of its nerves and muscles by exposing them to unnecessary efforts at our own expense. Some people are so impressed with the importance of immediately answering such a call that they will forego the most urgent business on that account. I know an authentic case of a member in the profession—a great surgeon—who, a few years ago, was urgently summoned to a member of the highest nobility who had met with a hunting accident. Unfortunately for the patient the call came at just such a moment as we have been speaking of; true to his principles, he did not arrive immediately, but only after having fulfilled the execution of this important part of the hygiene of his intestines, and the patient lost his life.