Tuesday, November 19, 2013

From The Anals Of Science

Why do stools float or sink?

This was studied and published in 1972 (funding by U.S. Public Health Service):

"Floating Stools -- Flatus Versus Fat"  N Engl J Med (1972) 286, 973-975.

The funniest part: left hand column, third paragraph under "Methods":
"A cube of stool, 5 to 10 g, was cut from the specimen by means of a wire blade (more commonly used for slicing cheese)"

7 comments:

ndspinelli said...

I have so much methane those bastards sometimes float up and tickle my scrotum.

chickelit said...

Madge: You're soaking in it Spinelli!

Chip S. said...

Make sinkers, not stinkers.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

Ismay: But this ship can't sink!
Thomas Andrews: She's made of iron, sir! I assure you, she can... and she will. It is a mathematical certainty.

Aridog said...

Whoa? You mean people actually check twixt their legs to see if a turd is floating or sinking? Or is this study done after the deposit and one stand sup and turns around and bends over to examine the product? Do they also check and measure for skid marks on the bowl from those occasional explosive turd-logs (after eating an extra large pizza by one's self with 6 beers for example)?

Some folks need to get better hobbies.

ken in tx said...

The Greenville (SC) school district once paid an 'expert' to conduct a teacher in-service training session on this very subject. It was a source of many jokes and comments for years.

Amartel said...

Let's ask an expert!
Paging Martin Bashir
Martin Bashir, to the white courtesy poop trivia telephone.