Feces
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Tom Friedman,Untitled, 1992. A sculpture consisting of a 0.5 mm diameter ball of the artist's feces on a pedestal. |
Feces,
faeces, or
fæces (see
spelling differences) is waste product from an
animal's
digestive tract expelled through the
anus (or
cloaca) during
defecation. In humans, defecation may occur (depending on the individual and the circumstances) from once every two or three days to many times a day. Hardening of the feces may cause prolonged interruption in the routine and is called
constipation.The word
faeces is the plural of the
Latin word
fæx meaning "dregs". There is no singular form in the English language [
1].
The distinctive odor of feces is due to
bacterial action. Bacteria produce compounds such as
indole,
skatole, and
thiols (
sulfur containing compounds), as well as the inorganic gas
hydrogen sulfide. These are the same compounds that are responsible for the odor of
flatulence. Consumption of foods with spices may result in the spices being undigested and adding to the odor of feces. Certain commercial products exist that can reduce the odor of feces.
The feces of animals is often used as
fertilizer; see
manure.
Some animal feces are used as a fuel source, especially for cooking.
For scientists, feces can provide insight to an animal's diet and life. By carefully analyzing the consistency and odors of the feces, the scientist can understand the contents that comprise the scat. Then, a careful analysis can be conducted which reveals the creature's eating habits.
Feces can be used to determine more than just diet in animals. DNA from sloughed off intestinal cells and metabolites from various hormones can be used to identify genetic differences and stress respectively.
Coprophagia is the practice of eating feces. This is unusual, but some
herbivores with a high-fibre/low-protein diet (such as
rabbits) eat their own feces as a normal part of
metabolism. Plant matter the animal consumes is digested in two passes, with the product of the first pass being re-ingested directly from the
anus. After the material is re-digested, the indigestible waste that remains is excreted and left alone.
Fossilized feces are known as
coprolites, and form an important class of objects studied in the field of
paleontology. Fossilized feces is most commonly found in the form of
dinosaur droppings.
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Fecal bacteria at 10,000x magnification |
A quick test for fecal contamination of water sources or soil is a check for the presence of
E. coli bacteria performed with the help of
MacConkey agar plates or
Petri dishes.
E. coli bacteria uniquely develop red colonies at temperature of approximately 43 °C (110 °F) overnight.
While nearly all strains of
E. coli are harmless, their presence is indicative of fecal contamination, and hence a high possibility of other, more dangerous organisms.
Scatology is the study of feces. Informally, the words "
excrement", "turd", "jobby", "
crap", and "
crud", "poo," "
poop," and "poopie" have become synonymous with feces. The word "
shit" is a vulgar term for feces in
English.
Coprophilia, also known as
fecophilia, is a
sexual attraction to fecal matter.
Coprophobia, also known as
fecophobia, is a strong fear of feces or human excrement in general.
Human fecal matter varies significantly in appearance, depending on
diet and
health. Normally it is semisolid, with a
mucus coating. Its brown coloration comes from a combination of
bile and dead
red blood cells. In newborn babies, fecal matter is initially yellow/green after the
meconium. This coloration comes from the presence of
bile alone. In time, as the body starts expelling excess dead red blood cells, it acquires its familiar brown appearance, unless the baby is breast feeding, in which case it remains soft, pale yellowish, and not-unpleasantly scented until the baby begins to eat significant amounts of other food. Throughout the life of an ordinary human, one may experience many types of feces. A "green" and sometimes "clay-like" appearance to the feces is a result in a lack of blood cells expelled. Bile overload is very rare, and not a health threat. Problems as simple as serious
diarrhea can cause blood in one's stool, turning it black. Food may sometimes make an appearance in the feces. Common undigested foods found in human feces are seeds, nuts, corn, and beans, mainly because of their high
fiber content.
*
Intestinal parasite*
A1 broth*
Defecation*
Intestine*
Manure*
Scatology*
Guano*
Shit*
Crap*
Poop*
Dung*
A FAQ site on poop*
Short but detailed biological explanation of why feces are brown*
Liver biochemistry*
History of Shit by Dominique Laporte. ISBN 0262621606
*
MedFriendly's Article on Feces
