The practice of intestinal cleaning is increasingly neglected in modern times, above all for reasons of embarrassment or shame, while, since ancient times, all traditional medicines recommended intestinal cleansing to ensure a proper functioning of the body and remain in good health.

Already in the Ebers Papyrus 1552 b.C. (the document that provided evidence of the main medical activities practiced in ancient Egypt) they gather information about the indications for the use of enemas. This papyrus shows that the “invention” of this practice is given by the Egyptians to the black stork Ibis: This big bird, considered sacred, was often portrayed in the act of penetrating with its beak, thanks to the long neck, its anal orifice to get onto saltwater. Actually, this interpretation is now considered a misunderstanding caused by the Egyptian writing: in fact, it would not be shown the ibis but Pharaoh Thoth, whose name was written precisely with the hieroglyph ibis. It could be said, almost sure, that it’s him, the one pictured.
In this papyrus it is documented the existence of a special doctor, enema experts and rectal irrigations; it describes the instructions for use of the enema and 20 different remedies for intestinal problems.
The use of enemas by the Egyptians is confirmed by Herodotus, who wrote: “The Egyptians used to purify over 3 consecutive days, each month, in order to remain healthy with enemas and emetics, because they think that all diseases arise at man from the food they eat.”

Even in the Ancient Greeks and Romans the practice of colon irrigation was widespread as a remedy for many diseases. Hippocrates (4th and 5th century b.C.) used it to cure even the fever; for the Roman doctor Asclepiades Bitina (2nd century BC), considered one of the fathers of Roman medicine, this practice was preferable to laxatives. Even the emperor Nerone was a real passionate and this practice was very popular among the noble Roman matrons who used this system to “empty themselves” after a large meal.
Still, there are many peoples and civilizations where the intestinal cleaning was widespread: for example, we have evidence of anal washing even among the Assyrians, through a cuneiform inscription on tablet that dates back to 600 b.C and Indian texts that describe the equipment that used (the scrotum of a large animal to which was attached a bamboo or ivory cane) and some practical instructions.
There are tracks of the spread of the colon cleansing practice in China and date back to 196 a.C., when the doctor Chang Chung Ching (considered the Chinese Hippocrates) advised the intake of water and vinegar through a bamboo cane well inserted into the rectum.
Supporters of the benefits of the enema are also two important doctors of Greek origin, Aetius (50 AD) who proposed it only water-based and Galen (129-199 AD) who, instead, prescribed enemas of various kinds, even with oil and honey.

Between 960 and 1030 a.C., Avicenna, court physician at some caliphs Persians, attempted to codify this practice: he described the “enema bag“, which consisted of a bladder of animal connected hermetically to the end of a tube (pressing with hands the bladder, the water flowed through the tube into the anus of the patient), and the ingredients that should use, according to him (water, oil, and occasionally pepper).
During the Middle Ages, the information on the intestinal washingcontinued to spread and its use became fashionable among the upper classes of the population, reaching the highest levels of the royal families.
The instrument of the period for the washing of the colon was the enema syringe, a rigid tube shaped with two bulges close together among which we could tightly bind the edge of a membrane of animal origin, which served as a container for the liquid, and that it was compressed with hands. This tool was used mainly until the sixteenth century.
The use of the enema continued to grow and at the time of the famous English surgeon John Ardene (1307-1390) it was used extensively by the British women of that time, in fact the surgeon wrote a treatise on the subject.

17th century became known as “the age of the enema”: in Parisian society was fashionable to do three or four enemas a day, according to the popular belief that an internal washing was essential for good health; People say that Louis XIV have received in the course of his life more than 2000 enemas.
The evolution, development and improvement of this practice has never stopped during the centuries: the improvements made to the instrument for intestinal cleanse, make the intestinal hygiene in general emerging as a care valid for the treatment of many diseases. Combined with proper diet and exercise, it is essential to maintain an effective well-being of the body.