Show Gas as Pressure ess ule May Be Result of Excitement By DR JAMES W. W BARTON just a few years ago U UNTIL gas was thought to be due dueall foods eaten eaten- ten ten- in all cases to the ea onions cabbages lettuce peas beans More recently reit recently re re- I Gently it was TODAY'S thought that that in n the H HEALTH EA L T H great majority of cases gas forma forma- forma COLUMN CO COLUMN LU r J N tion and add pressure I Iwas was due to a sluggish liver and gall bladder Many cases also are believed due to fermentation tion of protein foods meat foods meat eggs fish It is now agreed that many nervous or excitable individuals individuals individuals those who eat cat their food hurriedly swallow quantities of air during meals and particularly particularly particularly par par- if they use much fluid tea coffee milk or water during meals Dr Walter Nalter Alvarez Mayo l Clinic who for many years has done much original research work on the stomach and intestines says in the Ohio Medical Journal Journal Journal Jour Jour- nal For reasons yet unknown some persons persons persons per per- sons swallow much air as they drink A Adry Adry dry dinner will sometimes give a y much more comfortable comfortable comfortable comfort comfort- able night Among the other causes of flatulence gas are gas food sensitiveness sen sen- Dr Barton being being allergic allergic allergic al al- al- al or sensitive to some particular food or foods such as eggs wheat berries a plug or hardened waste matter in the rectum rectum rectum rec rec- tum or low lowest st part of large intestine intestine intestine intes intes- tine which forces gas back up into small intestine and even into the stomach nervous excitement before before before be be- fore during and after eating oil which while lubricating the wastes seems to cause gas pressure and any substances added to laxatives in order to add bulk to the wastes Walls Valls Are Strengthened Despite the formation of gas caused by these bulky substances such as agar most physicians believe believe believe be be- lieve that this bulkiness distends the bowel and causes the muscles of the bowel to squeeze harder on the mass of waste and so prevents constipation The bowel is kept in ina a better condition of health if its muscular walls have something that causes them to contract or squeeze upon the wastes The walls increase increase increase in in- crease in muscular strength by this work or exercise As mentioned before if the gas from the stomach or bowel is without without without with with- out odor it is considered as being swallowed air ir If odor is present then gas is due to one or more of the conditions above mentioned |