Piles

Bloom has suffered from "piles," another name for hemorrhoids. He also has experienced constipation as recently as "yesterday," and it seems possible that the abdominal straining associated with that condition has caused his swollen veins. But Joyce mentions another possible factor: "He liked to read at stool."

A large subset of humanity reportedly enjoys reading (or, these days, using their smartphones) while sitting on the toilet. Many gastroenterologists warn that the practice may lead to hemorrhoids, because the rectum and anus are stressed for longer periods and the shape of the toilet seat allows those tissues to sag. It may also lead to constipation, because the body learns to associate sitting on the can with reading rather than evacuation.