As a general rule, the bowels ought to act, at some stated time, once in the twenty-four hours; and it is best to accustom them to act in the morning, after breakfast.

If they do not act spontaneously, they should be assisted by some wholesome article of diet which is found to affect them; or by some harmless aperient medicine, which must be prescribed by a medical man, to suit the particular case; for the best aperient for one person may be the worst for another.

Provided that an aperient medicine is suited to the case, and contains no drug injurious to the general health, there is no harm in taking it at night or in the early morning, whenever the bowels have not acted satisfactorily during the preceding day.

It is a great mistake to load the stomach with fruits and vegetables in order to avoid taking some harmless aperient medicine. (See Special Recipes, etc., for the Sick-Room, Directions for removing Obstinate Constipation, and Obstruction of the Bowels.)