Hot-water Drinking Effects of
Hot-water drinking can easily be overdone, and in fact often is. There are occasions when the drinking of hot water will be beneficial, but, as with all other hot applications, hot water taken into the digestive tube lowers function except immediately after being taken. Cold water has the opposite effect. The primary effect of hot water is stimulation, whether applied to the skin or to the mucous membranes; but there is the following reaction, which always takes place and is atonic. This may last for a considerable time—much longer than the primary effect. All functioning of the stomach is greatly re¬duced during this reactive stage, and sometimes it is entirely suspended.
Hydrochloric acid, the powerful protein diges-tant of the gastric juice, is secreted in much less amounts after hot-water drinking. From this we find that when there is an excess of this acid (hyperacidity) or excessive secretion of gastric juice (gastrorrhea), the drinking of hot water will be beneficial, providing it is taken hot and drunk rather rap¬idly. But in case of hypoacidity cold water should be drunk, several ounces half an hour or so before meals. In painful conditions of the stomach not associated with definite struc¬tural changes, hot-water drinking is helpful. Vomiting is often relieved by the slow sipping of very hot water, though usually it is not advisable to suddenly check this process. It is a safety procedure in many cases. Chronic gastritis is greatly helped by this drink. So also is gastric colic from indigestion.