Feces: Encyclopedia - Feces

Feces

Feces (American English) or fæces (Commonwealth English) are semi-solid waste products from an animal 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 usual routine and is called constipation.

The word faeces is the plural of the Latin word faex meaning "dregs". There is no singular form in English language [1].

The distinctive odor of feces is due to bacterial action. Bacteria produce compounds such as indole, skatole, and mercaptans (sulfur containing compounds), as well as the inorganic gas hydrogen sulfide. These are the same compounds that are responsible for the odor of flatus.

Feces can help scientists learn about animals because of the food an animal eats. 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 are generally a taboo subject (see toilet humour). Scientists have long noted that many species hide or bury their feces, because the odor can attract predators, and these species often exhibit anxious behavior when their feces cannot be concealed. In humans, this phenomenon manifests itself in a stigma on feces.

The feces of animals is often used as fertilizer; see manure.

Feces - Related terminology

Feces are also known as scat and scatology is the study of feces. Informally, the word "excrement" has become synonymous with feces; a usage based upon the incorrect belief that feces are a product of excretion. The words shit and doodoo are vulgar terms for feces in English.

Coprophagia is the practice of eating feces. This is unusual, but some herbivores with a high-fiber/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.

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.

Fossilized feces are known as coprolites, and form an important class of objects studied in the field of paleontology.

Feces - Fecal contamination

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 McConkey 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 like hepatitis.

Feces - Human feces

Main article: Human feces

Human fecal matter varies significantly in appearance, depending on diet and health. Normally it is semisolid, with a mucus coating. Its brown colouration comes from a combination of bile and dead red blood cells. In newborn babies, fecal matter is initially yellow/green after the meconium. This colouration 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. 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. Food may sometimes appear in the feces. Common undigested foods found in human feces are seeds, nuts, corn, and beans, mainly for their high fiber content.

See also

• Intestinal parasite
• A1 broth
• Manure
• Scatology
• Guano
• Shit

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Feces", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki