According to Herodatus:  "For 3 consecutive days in every month they purge themselves, pursuing health by means of emetics and drenches."  This, to us, unnecessary anxiety over natural intestinal decay can be explained by Egyptian logic in the following way: decay is typical of death, disease, and wounds; decay also occurs inside the intestines; so this internal decay must be a source of disease. Because of this overriding medical theory the swnw became an expert in various types of enemas and drugs that produced diarrhea.