The gall-bladder is a pear-shaped organ attached to the under surface of the fiver under the edge of the right lower ribs, about half way between the center of the body and the center of the right side line, that is, the line immediately below the arm-pit center. When there is trouble with this condition there frequently is an uncomfortable feeling at the point mentioned, though in many cases the location of the discomfort is indefinite and it is impossible to come to a quick decision as to the location of any inflammatory pains. Often gall-bladder inflammation and appendicitis are mistaken one for the other.

The purpose of the gall-bladder is to receive bile (gall) from the liver, where it will be ready for passage into the intestinal tract in considerate quantities when needed in the process of digestion. Where the diet is alkaline and where sufficient fluid is taken into the body, the bile usually will be liquid enough to pass into the gall-bladder and out of it again through the small ducts or tubes leading into and away from this sack. But very often the diet and mode of living in general are such that the bile becomes concentrated and becomes irritating. This produces in time an inflammation of the lining wall or membrane of the gall-bladder, and here we have cholecystitis. If the bile becomes concentrated and yet not so decidedly concentrated that it can pass out of the gall-bladder, it may cause dilatation of the gall ducts and irritation and inflammation.

Gallstones are due to a concentration of bile or to a precipitation of some of the elements forming bile, but a great deal of irritation and trouble often results before gallstones develop-and many people never would develop gallstones, and yet have gall-bladder trouble.

Treatment of Gall Bladder

Operation rarely will be required in gall-bladder trouble if natural treatment is applied in time. It is necessary in these cases that the bile be thinned and that it be rendered non-irritating. There is nothing better as the initial part of the treatment than a fruit diet, with copious quantities of water, preferably hot water.

Early in the morning may be drunk a quart of hot water containing the juice of one lemon and one-half teaspoonful of salt. This should be as hot as possible and yet drunk rather than sipped. It should be taken within ten minutes if possible.

Nothing should be taken until at least three hours later, when grapefruit or orange juice may be taken. Half a dozen grapefruits or a dozen oranges or half these numbers of each may be taken during the day, with two or four quarts of water-but not necessarily together. This hot water mixture is very effective in cleansing the intestines, the liver, the kidneys, the blood and the skin. It also may have a laxative effect.

Gall Bladderis a condition in which it is permissible to use an effective dose of some such laxative as Pluto water or citrate of magnesia at the beginning of the fruit diet, but not later. The fruit diet (or if preferred the absolute fast with an abundance of water) may continue for from five to ten or -fifteen days, depending upon the patient’scondition and the effects of the fact.