In Which Pooh Invents A New Game And Eeyore Joins In

EoR really doesn't have a fixation for all things faecal. It's more of a fixation for the fixation alties have with their backend functions. The West Australian's Mind&Body supplement for 17th April 2007 deals with "Inside Irrigation".

Colonic irrigation involves a small plastic speculum, attached to a plastic hose, being inserted into the rectum. Pre-warmed, sterile water is then introduced into the bowel at low pressure via a specially-designed machine. As the colon is filled with water it begins to rhythmically contract and the water and faecal matter and mucus are expelled. According to Carol Harley, owner of the Colonic Hydrotherapy Centre, colonic irrigation can feel strange at first. "It's a really weird sensation, like you've got little gremlins, you can feel stuff moving and you get the feeling like you need to go to the toilet," she said.

EoR is tempted to say at this point "No shit, Sherlock?". But he won't.

Water softens and loosens the contents of the colon and Ms Harley said colonic irrigation could remove faecal matter that had been in a person's bowel for years.

Years! How does she know? Does she radiocarbon date the expelled products?

Gastroenterologist Warwick Ruse points out that colonic irrigation has no proven benefits.

"Scientifically, it's not medically useful. After all, if it was, it would probably be used in medicine now."

Exactly. There's "medicine". And then there's the "alternative" to medicine, which is unproven, ineffective and unnecessary. Unless you happen to be a festishist of a certain persuasion.

Despite the uncertainty, many Perth nutritionists and naturopaths recommend people undergo colonic irrigation regularly and also recommend the procedure during detox programs.

What "uncertainty"? The uncertainty between accepting evidence or choosing to believe wishful thinking and advertising claims?

Ms Harley is a registered nurse.