"Anal Resilience"

So called by Jane Ward (p. 43). Curious, I googled. Unsurprisingly the first dozen hits were hers. Unexpectedly, but still unsurprising, the next dozen—female porn stars. (Guys never get the recognition.) But sandwiched somewhere in between was this  pdf  on “The nature of piles”. Which begins:

Few who reach middle age can claim never to have had any symptoms related to the anus.

What a promising beginning. One would think it better not to continue. But the good doctor, J Alexander-Williams, does:

Thomson has shown elegantly, if not originally, that what many regard as piles are normal vascular cushions. We all have them, and they are as natural as the vascular cusions at the upper end of the alimentary tract that we call lips.

Are you still with me? Leaving nothing out:

We are prepared to accept a wide variety of lips: thick lips, pouting lips, petulant lips, wet lips, and even hot lips. Similarly, variations in the vascular cushions at the anus should possibly be regarded as signs of character rather than disease.

Now I lay me down to sleep. You’ve got the link.