# Gross question re. defecation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827 "2001-12-04T14:40:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/1 "2001-12-04T14:40:15Z")
A …um… friend of mine… currently has diaorreah. Despite having a colon seemingly full of liquid, he still manages occasionally to release unadulterated flatus, even though he imagines any gaseous matter to float to the top of the liquid… By what mechanism is this possible? ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/2 "2001-12-04T16:58:52Z")
The same way you get bubbles at the bottom of a straw, I’d imagine. Even though flatus is lighter than…oh, heck. I can’t even type this without giggling. Even though farts are lighter than poop, they’re still both produced and shoved along the intestines by rhythmic muscular action, sort of like blowing soda mixed with bubbles through a straw into a glass. Even though left to their own devices the gas would “float” up to the top and the liquid to the bottom, if there’s pressure being applied in a downward direction, they’ll both go downward. I hope your friend’s seen a doctor, of course. Sounds like they’re not having a fun time of it. Corr ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/3 "2001-12-04T17:08:33Z")
OK first of all… BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!🙂 😃 Secondly, I too can not type this with out laughing, but here goes. I am amazed that your _‘friend’_\* can flatulate without blowing …shit… out his anus… hold on… HAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!😃 HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! LOLOLOLL!!! Seriously, I have worked with many many children in the past and have seen many a soiled load in the pants. But liquid in the colon has to go out the exit of least resistance right? I fear your _‘friend’_ may experience the horror of a blow out before the end of the day… carefull not to get too close… ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/4 "2001-12-04T17:10:17Z")
_sorry for the italic I forgot to close a bracket_ ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/5 "2001-12-04T17:10:34Z")
This phenomenon tends to occur when the person doing the defecating is standing on his hands in order to execute the procedure. In this orientation, the defecator will note that gaseous matter rises to the top, in accordance with Somebody’s Law Of Physics, thus effecting an early egress from the alimentary canal. All _your friend_ needs to do in order to rectify this unhappy situation is to rotate his body through 180% and stand on his feet. In this way the liquid matter of which you speak will take its rightful place at the bottom of _your friend’s_ colon. In passing, I am curious to know what is the incidence of _adulterated_ flatus escaping from _your friend’s_ bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/6 "2001-12-04T17:14:38Z")
I’ve just decided I’m not that curious after all. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/7 "2001-12-04T17:22:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nostradamus \* > I am curious to know what is the incidence of _adulterated_ flatus escaping from _your friend’s_ bottom. \*\* My friend (he is very close to me, but I am nobly protecting his identity here) has been quite lucky on that score… In answer to an earlier question, he isn’t standing on his head… ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/8 "2001-12-04T17:31:23Z")
I think this is the least of your problems ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/9 "2001-12-04T18:06:34Z")
Ok, this deserves laughs but if we’re going to fight ignorance, I guess we can’t be picky. If you look at [this](http://ebooks.whsmithonline.co.uk/encyclopedia/86/P0000786.htm) image, you’ll note that the very last part of the large intestine includes an upward section, like the trap in a drain. This region is called the sigmoid colon, by the way - meaning “S” shaped. Anyway, if you accumulate enough gas at the top, leaving the trap, it will soon find an exit. However, this gas-only stage can’t last long. Although the bulges in the intestinal wall (haustra) prevent rapid movement of “contents” through the tube, they were designed to slow solids rather than liquids. ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/10 "2001-12-04T18:06:45Z")
I love this place. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/11 "2001-12-04T18:14:31Z")
Here’s an artist’s impression of your friend’s experience. ☹ :o ☹ :mad: :o :eek: :rolleyes: 😛 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/12 "2001-12-04T18:55:21Z")
_LOLOLOLOLOL_ ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_The\_Bold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dale\_The\_Bold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_The_Bold)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/13 "2001-12-04T23:16:40Z")
I shall never look at :o the same way again. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/14 "2001-12-05T00:49:41Z")
I never did, Dale. I always thought it was the new Sunkist[sup]TM[/sup] Sex Doll. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/15 "2001-12-05T03:17:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*I never did, Dale. I always thought it was the new Sunkist[sup]TM[/sup] Sex Doll. \*\* LMAO! I never thought of :o as “embarassed” - it always looked like it was yawning or something. But from now on, I’ll always think of it as the “Sunkist smilie.” And :rolleyes: _does_ kinda look like he’s pooping. hehe ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/16 "2001-12-05T04:06:55Z")
Thats a mighty shitty question. 😃 I’ve never been able to have diarrhea and fart without shitting my pants. ---
**Author:** ![Fishhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@Fishhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishhead)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gross-question-re-defecation/96827/17 "2001-12-05T05:29:55Z")
MTINTK, Mudshark Fishhead