# Why did Matthew Perry's colon explode? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304 "2022-12-10T17:12:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304/21 "2022-12-11T15:15:57Z")
I thought this thread was going to provide an alternate explanation as to why the Japanese resisted Commodore Matthew Perry’s attempts to come ashore in 1853. They did let him land after he made a big enough stink. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304/22 "2022-12-11T15:19:35Z")
“…when the ship hit the sand.” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304/23 "2022-12-11T20:05:41Z")
Perry described both his exploding colon and ostomy bag mishaps. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304/24 "2022-12-11T20:12:41Z")
I was once in a stall in the bathroom of a restaurant, and the person in the next stall dropped an ostomy bag on the floor. I knew what it was from having a client with one. There was an odor, and she made a low “Ohhhhhh noooooo…” sound. I briefly considered asking if I could get someone from the dining room for her-- or maybe just if she needed some paper towels-- but I decided to pretend I did not know what had happened, and hustle out. Hope I made the right call. ---
**Author:** ![banjopatterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@banjopatterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/banjopatterson)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304/25 "2022-12-12T05:23:10Z")
As someone who has had a blocked bowel due to Colon cancer I can assure you that anything unable to pass out of it’s correct opening eventually turns around and comes out the other end. Not nice. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304/26 "2022-12-13T00:49:10Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Huh. My dad had an ostomy after that experience. He (and my mom) had some complaints about the bag, but “prone to explode” wasn’t on the list. It isn’t that it explodes, exactly - the pressure buildup of either semisolids [toothpaste sort of texture] liquids or gasses can pop the adhesive away from the skin so you get a leak ranging from HOLY CRAP! to damn, I am seeping. While I actually have had a seam split, it was visibly a bad plastic weld on that particular batch. Some bags have a built in vent for gasses to seep out, but I have found that they gloop up and either stop seeping gas or they will seep liquids so I go for vent free. > [@banjopatterson](#): > > As someone who has had a blocked bowel due to Colon cancer I can assure you that anything unable to pass out of it’s correct opening eventually turns around and comes out the other end. > Not nice. Happened to me, it was one of the issues that led to my diagnosis - though not a total block, a combination of backpressure [?] from the poop not being able to go southwards fast enough [?] so my digestion was pretty much coming to a stop so it was coming back up as my body tried to clear things out. Call it something like half my food was being pooped out, the rest not being able to move down decided to come back up, emptying the stomach, and the remains of the stuff in my small intestine finally made its way down over the next half day or so. Not pleasant as you say. If anybody starts getting eggy sulphur burps, check for your poop consistancy, ease of pooping it out [is it still the same diameter or has it narrowed] check for blood in your poop … so many tiny indicators can build up to a dignosis of colon cancer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-matthew-perrys-colon-explode/976304.md?page=1)