“Bedrest, fluids, soups, enema”

Written in pencil by my mom on a slip of paper. I found this tucked in a 1940s family medical book that I found in her garage. Also in the note: Rachel, nurse on call, 9:30a, 12/24/58

Four years before I was born. Someone wasn’t feeling well on Christmas Eve, presumably herself or my dad. ☹️ l‘ll ask Mom if she remembers. My mom has always been very organized. When she wrote notes to herself, she dated them and sometimes even wrote the time.

I love the note (obviously), and the nurse’s advice.

Mom- also a nurse- would prescribe the same except always first would be the enema…. as shown in this photo (blushing)…..michael https://en.zity.biz/gallery/image/16551

Back in the 1950s +/- being very sure a sick person pood every day while sick was considered important. After all, for many illnesses there were no ‘cures’. Actually, even today, the same is true and the only treatment is symptom relief.

Anyway, this theory resulted in many moms, nurses, and doctors giving laxatives, suppositories, or enema to anyone who claimed to feel sick. After all, being made to poo is not really harmful if done occasionally. Also, knowing this was certain to happen, was a disincentive for those feigning illness to avoid a quiz or something similar.

It is interesting that some ‘cold meds’ of the day included a laxative:

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_730683

In fact, this treatment does make some sense. In my persona experience, described elsewhere on this site, if you don't poo within the first day or so of becoming sick, the constipation can easily get worse and after several days to a week or more laxatives are useless and the only thing that does work is a bagfull of warm, soapy water.

@Sean Also, some medicine tends to make people constipated, especially stronger painkillers (not talking of Tylenol here). I'm not sure that back then these were available only by prescription.

@Pecan_nutjob

I doubt opiates wee given even back then for routine sicknesses. Codeine perhaps.

@Sean Codeine was I think available over the counter for treating coughing.

@Pecan_nutjob

Could well be. I think it still is in some counties as a pat of some OTC pain meds. I don't know if Codeine constipates.

I'm not totally certain that codeine causes constipation, but I would not be surprised. At home my mother would give us terpin hydrate with codeine and it was terrific for a cough. She also would give us a decongestant, which might also cause constipation. No matter because along with everything else we were certain to also be given an enema. Typically this was normally a quart of warm water and Ivory. Did those meds cause constipation? Maybe, but in our house they weren't given a chance to.

@Sean, @Emom: A number of cough medicines contain some opiates, such as codeine, which calm the need to cough but also cause somnolence, thus the warnings about driving or operating machinery, and other side issues of opiates… including constipation, as far as I know. Cough medicines were actually used by drug addicts; I think you can do chemistry on them to turn them into stronger forms.

@Emom I'm not totally certain that codeine causes constipation, but I would not be surprised.

Actually, it can cause constipation if you're not being hydrated enough, and it can seriously bound you up. In my early 20s, my doctor prescribed acetaminophen with codeine for pain following surgery. Long story short, four days no movement, embarrassed to tell nurses who were making home visits post-op. I finally admitted to one of the nurses (Angie, who I've lovingly written about), who nicely scolded me for being a dunce (I agreed), and got an order from my doctor for laxatives and enemas PRN (as needed). The rest of the story is well covered in my memoirs here. PS: Emom is right. Codeine works terrific to stop coughs, but it's also constipating and makes you sleepy.

Re: Codeine:

I was lazy. Google says:

“When codeine blocks the pain receptors, there are other unwanted effects – for example slow and shallow breathing. It can also slow down digestion, which is why codeine can cause constipation.”

This was the standard cure all for being home sick

Bedrest, rectal temperatures every four to six hours, an enema twice daily, plenty of water an orange juice, and chicken soup was my RN grandmothers prescription when we got sick as kids. This prescription applied to the adults as well, much to moms distaste. More than once, we over heard grandma giving our mom an enema when she was sick. An unlike moms two young teenage sisters, who really liked enemas as much as my siblings an I did, mom hated them in a big way, putting up a fuss every time she had to get one. But, that didn’t stop her from giving my siblings an I enemas when needed, at the drop of a hat. After our grandmother taught us personal hygiene as preteens, we were expected to follow her routine whenever we got sick, as her two daughters (moms sisters) had done, after being taught like we were.

I had a friend at college freshman year who got sick and spent three days in the infirmary. Later recounted how he was given an enema while there but lamented how back home in Scarsdale chicken soup was known as Jewish penicillin. He really believed in its healing power but also that of the enema.

Yes--some of that occured before and/or after I was given a (Dr.ordered/approved) enema @ age 9-10 ('59-'60) and down with the Flu Bug..a bad cold,etc..A 1 qt.warm soapy water enema would really clean me out..and I'd be “starving” shortly thereafter…The bedrest thing,lots of chicken soup and toast & jelly was sort of a reward/payback for the enema--which was not very pleasant getting…..

I lIke reading those old family medical books, from the 30s and 40s, that advise what to do in times of illness. The enema: it’s nearly always recommended. Warm water enema, soapy enema, cleansing enema — no wonder most homes had a fountain syringe or a combo enema and hot water bottle.

Kids growing up in those days, I imagine that most knew if they were sick, they would be given an enema. Most likely it would be mom who would decide when and how — so many stories.

Grew up in the 50's and only got a couple (or few) enemas. Never to treat a sickness other than “perceived” constipation by my mother. When we were sick, rather than Chicken Soup - I remember getting “Milk Toast” - a piece of toast torn up and floated in warm milk. It was comforting - but I doubt it had any medicinal value!!!

That was my mom's solution to any illness. It went without saying that if you stayed home from school due to illness, you stayed in bed. And mid-morning you were called into the bathroom for a warm soapy enema. Then back to bed. Lunch was chicken soup and crackers. It was all so predictable back then.

@redbulb said,

That was my mom's solution to any illness. It went without saying that if you stayed home from school due to illness, you stayed in bed. And mid-morning you were called into the bathroom for a warm soapy enema.

When my siblings and I were kids, if one of stayed home sick once the other two were off to school, mom came in the bedroom carrying a rectal thermometer, a jar of Vaseline, a full enema bag, and a couple of bath towels. We had to get up and take our underwear off while mom laid bath towels across the bed. Once the towels were in place, we laid down on them on our stomach with our feet hanging over the side of the bed. Once in position, mom put Vaseline on the rectal thermometer and inserted it in our anus. She held it in place with her hand laying on our bottom for five minutes before taking it out to read. I never understood why mom always took our rectal temperature first, because she was going too give us a couple of enemas anyway, it didn’t matter what our temperature was. Sometimes after removing the rectal thermometer and before doing a digital recital exam. She let us rollover over on our back pulling our feet back to our bare bottom. I preferred this position because it took the pressure off my stomach and I could see the enema bag as it emptied. Next, she put Vaseline on her index finger putting it deep in our rectum. Once in, she moved it back an forth while twisting it for fifteen or twenty seconds, then replaced it with the rectal nozzle. First she gave us the soapy enema she brought with her to the bedroom. When we returned to the bedroom after releasing the soapy enema, it was back in position on the bed for the rinse enema with salt and baking soda added. We had to take at least half of the full enema bag before she would stop the flow, but preferred we take more. Once we’d taken enough to her liking, we had to hold each enema for five or ten minutes before being allowed to go to the bathroom. Around age ten, we were expected to take the full two quarts for both the soapy and rinse enema. Once the other two were home from school, they too got a rinse enema along with the sick one before bedtime. This was the daily routine until the sickness passed.

As preteens, once our RN grandmother taught us personal hygiene and enemas became our personal responsibility. We were expected to keep the same daily enema routine whenever we got sick. The other two were expected to give themselves daily enemas while one of was sick until the illness passed. This was the only time mom ever said anything to us about enemas after grandma taught us personal hygiene. Reminding us to take daily enemas while one of us was sick. On the other hand, if we got sick at grandmas, we didn’t have to worry about giving ourselves enemas. Grandma took over, making sure the sick one got twice daily enemas from her or our aunts, and seeing that the other two got daily enemas at bath time in the evening until the illness passed.

Did you know that you cannot get a codeine cough med even with a prescription. The government is totally running the medical industry. Forget what a MD might want to prescribe.

Grew up in the 60's. The enema was a cure all for everything until I went to college. First thing if not feeling well was the vaseline coated thermometer. Then to the bathroom dad administered a full red bag enema. It was always this will make you feel better. Stripped to underwear and socks while he coated the nozzle then over his lap with a “now relax” so I knew it was going in. Had to take the whole bag. After release to bed I went and in an hour it temperature time again.

Staying from school because of illness always resulted in multiple enemas as soon as everyone left for school/work. The volume was so much soapy water that I thought I would explode. Two or three enemas in the morning and one enema before bed. If I did not feel better the next day they were repeated.They were given on my mother's bed while I was on my back when I was young and then when I was older I was on my left side. You hade to take most of the bag or it did not count and that one was repeated.

@krustykleenX Did you know that you cannot get a codeine cough med even with a prescription. The government is totally running the medical industry. Forget what a MD might want to prescribe.

Interesting. In 1984, recovering at home from surgery, my doctor prescribed pain meds with codeine. Its came with warnings, but I was sipping too much of the stuff. It constipated me to the point that a MoM and a laxative weren't enough, and a visiting nurse needed to give me enemas. Codeine used to be very effective in cough meds, taken sensibly as not to get backed up. I didn't know you couldn't get it anymore.

Perhaps those events of yesteryear give rise to our fond, or not so fond memories of those rituals that we endured. Illness, whether legitimate or feigned, usually resulted in the treatments described. It's true that many/most medical texts/books suggested keeping the bowels open. Mom and grandma took this to heart. Our doctors and their nursing staffs were all in regarding enemas to accomplish these suggestions. As the title of this thread says, each of these things were incorporated and not necessarily in that order.

With regard to medicines potentially causing digestive distress or constipation, it seems that most carry some warning. Back in my day, Paregoric and Codeine were very common to address different issues. Both were opioid based and if dosages weren't closely followed and monitored, constipation was not unusual. While Paregoric was common for diarrhea, we usually got an enema as well. Certain physicians believed the bowel cleanse could alleviate many causes of the runs.

As kids, we hated these treatments, but at puberty became rather fond of the sensations. This simple pleasure and procedure, with the ambience of a beautiful vintage delivery device, certainly provides some unbeatable R&R no matter how temporary!

Enemas were no longer fashionable when I was growing up. However my mother honored the principle that if somebody stays at home because of sickness, that it must involve fever, so she would implement temperature checks. And she considered rectal to be the only reliable way.

A preoccupation with bowel health - ie treating constipation- as the answer to all was off its time though nowadays there is certainly scientific credence to the vital importance of our gut biome in maintaining physical fitness so maybe the mid 2oth century advice was not far off the mark. Besides those experiences may have the added benefit of helping to our later lives and kinks!

I had a visit with my urologist this AM. A follow up to kidney stone and bladder issues resulted in some new meds. I was again advised that dry mouth and constipation may be a side effect. A suggestion of fiber, stool softener, and hydration was given. I didn't let on that my good friend Victoria was usually hanging around to mitigate any of those issues. When asked if ED was an issue, my thoughts went to Victoria and her sister Roxy. I suppose that I can kill 2 birds with a single treatment as needed!