At what point in recent history do you think enemas became taboo and why?

Many people on this site talk about getting enemas from their moms when they were young. However, nowadays, enemas are not popular at all for children or adults, unless there is some kind of medical problem that requires one, and in that case, an enema might be seen as a last resort. if a parent today gave their child excessive enemas, it may be considered a form of abuse or strange at the least.

when did enemas start becoming a bad thing, and why did this occur, in your opinion?

That's a GREAT question. Not sure, I'm qualified to answer, but I'll take a stab at it (and I recognize that my views will be subject to wide criticism....)

Back in the '50s bulb and bag enemas were routine medical procedures. I received MANY Ivory soap enemas as a child.

Then along came Dr. Spock and his theories as how to raise & treat children. About the same time Fleet enemas started to penetrate the market. Concurrently, there became a need in many families for dual incomes, so those parents were not able to stay at home to nurse their kids back to health. Quality time was limited and ease of use became a priority.

We've also entered an age of PC that has ruined many "traditional" ways of life. From my perspective the evolution of enema administration is illustrative of that change.

Wow, this is a great question. My first observation is that enemas seemed to become taboo about the same time as suppositories, rectal temps, and spanking became taboo. Second, I would lay at least some of the blame with Sigmund Freud and other psychoanalysts. (Funny that they have the word "anal" as part of their professional identification.) If you read the early psychoanalytical literature, it is full of references to patients recalling the "trauma" of enemas, suppositories, rectal temps, and spankings. According to Freud et al, such trauma caused fixation at the so-called "anal stage" and interferred with normal psychsexual development. Third, while you had psychoanalysts saying such anal procedures in children might be psychologically harmful, at the same time you had many medical professionals in the 1960's and 1970's insisting that enemas not only were not necessary but could be physically harmful. Fourth, about this same time you had alternatives to the classical enemas, rectal temps, and suppositories (fiber tablets and powders, oral laxatives, pre-mixed enemas, ear thermometers, etc) that make people who clung to the "old ways" seem suspect, old-fashioned at best, kinky or preverted at worst. Nevertheless, you have to explain how and why anal sex has become increasingly accepted by modern culture while enemas and the like have become taboo.

Oh, about the same time as we began to be fed the bullshit about "SELF ESTEEM." A spanking was so terrible a shock to the poor child's "good feelings." Modern phsycobabbilists took over child rearing.

Remember the famous legal case where a child "divorced" his parents? Scared the crap out of most doctors, as HIS had ordered a common enema, among other "wrongs," the parents had done. Six of the child rearing pysho experts testified. Not one of them recognized the persistent, manipulative child this was.

I am, by no means approving of REAL abuse. Walt

Agreed Bob/Bill, but mere exposure to enemas, rectal temps, suppositories, or spankings do not create sexual fetishes because such things at one time were almost universal but the apparent number of people with related fetishes is miniscule. Perhaps there has to be a frequency factor or genetic predisposition or something else. Also what about those who develop medfet who never were exposed to rectal temps or enemas? What about transvestites who were never cross-dressed by their parents? Certainly no one at any age should be subjected to unnecessary procedures but you can't isolate a child from anything and everything they could possibly develop a fetish to.

I guess people just thought about anal abuse on kids and enemas became taboo.

I think eroticenemas nailed most of it, have a few additional points to his post. I think he was spot on about the vanishing stay-at-home mom, along with the rise of oral laxatives and disposable enemas, both of which represent continuing income streams for the drug companies, while a new enema bag is probably a once in a decade or so purchase. Last time I checked, water was still almost free. One additional factor is the disappearance of the large volume warm water enema from hospitals, a quick squeeze of a fleet takes much less nursing time and is thus more "cost effective".

Warren

I think it was when privacy disappeared, and EVERYTHING from failed relationships to bra size became public!

It seems I rarely visit my Dr's office, without noticing a line of drug salespersons waiting their turn to see him. Most come bearing "gifts."

Just for fun:

Years ago, we could smoke in our hospital rooms. A Nurse checked my temp orally, left, and soon came back. "I think your cigarettes are fiving an unreliable temperature reading. I've got an order to take your temp "rectally." Please turn on your left side for me?" That "order" became permanent any time I was in that hospital. Walt

[quote author=bob/bill link=topic=35110.msg309573#msg309573 date=1282258898]

Ok. I believe we aught not induce any erotic preference on our children. Let them find their own delight.

[/quote]

Oh, for sure! My dad may have been a bit of an instigator but he had no part in my developing a tyrannical obsession with older women as enema nurses given the regular enemas my twin and I got as boys. Most of my waking hours I was awaiting the ecstasy inducing arrival of Nurse Johnson with her black leather bag. 😉

I think the turning point was possibly with the invention of the birth-control pill.At that point people started having fewer children and more and more women entered the job force. When Mom had all day with the kids an enema was a simple and cheap solution to a lot of problems. At the very least when I was little I didn't play sick to stay home from school!! Families then also didn't have as much disposable income and so you didn't go to the doctor for every sniffle. Mom gave you an enema, put you in bed and fed you chicken noodle soup and you were usually all better in a day or two.

Now with latch key kids mom's don't have time to stay home or mess with the kids. they want to take them to the Doctor or in many cases, to the emergency room and expect instant results so they don't have to miss work. You also have a lot more one parent households and this causes the same situation... More money than time.

Another factor is in this day and time a Doctor can't really afford to advise the parent top treat the kid in any way. Imagine if they messed it up and hurt the kid!!!! Hell they have to place a warning in IRONS that you shouldn't iron your clothes while wearing them!! The Doctor is better of to prescribe a pill that some pharmaceutical company gives him a kick back on.

Like nearly everything anymore it is about money... Also there is the kids rights thing but that goes down the line of to much money and not enough sense too. When I was a kid my rights began and pretty much started and ended with yes ma'am/sir and No ma'am/sir!

Did anyone see the last night episode of "House?" He had an attractive mid-30's female with abdominal pain and decide to do a barium enema. As usual for this show, House did the enema and he and the patient offered pithy comments during the fill up. He had a funnel shaped bag that held about a quart. When he said she was filled, he said he would call the Rad. Techs. to do the films.

Seems like anytime one of his patients needs bloodwork, or tissue examination, one of HIS team does the microscope work or reagent blood work. Where are the "pros." who are the real experts at these proceedures? Guess this is Hollywood.

Jim

I have to say I grew up watching the enema days fade.

when we where young the enema bag was the fix all medical tummy ache to head cold to flu and virus symptoms.

as time went on the enema faded but mom continued to give us the enemas but you watched for the catalogues and then the drug store ads and they became premade enemas and douches as well as the Sears and JC Penney's catalogues didn't have anything as far as enema and douching equipment.

I even remembered mom asking me if I need help looking for something in the catalogue and me just saying no and mom said you are looking for something i here the disappointment in your voice.

I remember when I would go to drug stores and see an isle full of douching and enema equipment and I was in my glory but then I realized I could not stay and look through it because everybody was there well that was my dilemma I don"t know if anybody experienced that or not but I sure did thanks for listening >😢