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Bottoms Up: A History of Rectal Nutrition From 1870 to 1920.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Barr, J; Gulrajani, NB; Hurst, A; Pappas, TN
Published in: Ann Surg Open
March 2021

From the 1870s through the early 20th century, physicians frequently relied upon nutritive enemata to succor patients suffering from bowel obstructions and other disorders of the gastrointestinal system. Far from extraordinary or outlandish, this therapy was used on paupers and presidents alike, including on Garfield and McKinley after their assassination attempts. The medical milieu of the late 19th century provided particularly promising circumstances for its practice, with the rise of allopathic medicine generally-and surgery especially-coinciding with flourishing research on the physiology of nutrition. Although ongoing discussions debated the merits of different methods and various ingredients, few in the United States or Europe doubted the efficacy of rectal alimentation. However, in the early 20th century, new studies utilizing biochemistry demonstrated the inability of such instillations to provide significant calories or protein, and the intervention fell from favor. Proctoclysis-or rectal hydration-remained standard of care for the next 20 years, strongly supported by John B. Murphy and other surgeons. Ultimately, intravenous hydration and, much later, total parenteral nutrition replaced the rectal route.

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Published In

Ann Surg Open

DOI

EISSN

2691-3593

Publication Date

March 2021

Volume

2

Issue

1

Start / End Page

e039

Location

United States
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Barr, J., Gulrajani, N. B., Hurst, A., & Pappas, T. N. (2021). Bottoms Up: A History of Rectal Nutrition From 1870 to 1920. Ann Surg Open, 2(1), e039. https://doi.org/10.1097/AS9.0000000000000039
Barr, Justin, Natalie B. Gulrajani, Alison Hurst, and Theodore N. Pappas. “Bottoms Up: A History of Rectal Nutrition From 1870 to 1920.Ann Surg Open 2, no. 1 (March 2021): e039. https://doi.org/10.1097/AS9.0000000000000039.
Barr J, Gulrajani NB, Hurst A, Pappas TN. Bottoms Up: A History of Rectal Nutrition From 1870 to 1920. Ann Surg Open. 2021 Mar;2(1):e039.
Barr, Justin, et al. “Bottoms Up: A History of Rectal Nutrition From 1870 to 1920.Ann Surg Open, vol. 2, no. 1, Mar. 2021, p. e039. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/AS9.0000000000000039.
Barr J, Gulrajani NB, Hurst A, Pappas TN. Bottoms Up: A History of Rectal Nutrition From 1870 to 1920. Ann Surg Open. 2021 Mar;2(1):e039.

Published In

Ann Surg Open

DOI

EISSN

2691-3593

Publication Date

March 2021

Volume

2

Issue

1

Start / End Page

e039

Location

United States