In Gulp, much
as in all Mary Roach’s books, we meet the scientists who tackle the questions
no one else thinks or has the courage to ask. We also find out much more than
we want to know about the taboo tube through which we stuff and excrete food –
the Alimentary Canal which includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small
intestine, large intestine, and anus.
Just as the subject of Gulp
is a circuitous adventure, so too is the research that leads the author in
unexpected and often icky directions, and we’re along for the ride, ready or
not. There’s the issue of why stomach acids dissolve what we eat, but not us.
Not something I’ve lain awake nights wondering about, but nevertheless a mystery
worth exploring. Roach’s gift is that she keeps even the most clinical,
comical. Seriously! Gulp is hilarious and just full of interesting factoids.
For example, did you know that Elvis died of constipation? His
autopsy revealed a colon 6 inches in diameter, nearly twice the size of the
average person. It was also 9 feet long, compared with the normal 5 feet. They found
five-month-old stool in there! Sadly, Elvis
suffered from a hereditary condition called bowel paralysis.
Even Roach's (pictured) description of the science of fecal transplants,
which is probably what killed President James A. Garfield, after his assassin’s
bullet failed, are interesting, albeit yucky. Actually, fecal transplants, administered
through enemas, have gained credence recently for “the restoration of the
colonic microbiota to its natural state.” Unfortunately, Medicare won’t cover
the procedure and fecal donors are hard to come by. No shit!
If you haven’t read any of Mary Roach’s books try Stiff first, as it is an all-time favorite.
If you are a fan, I don’t have to tell you to read Gulp. Like me, you whooped with delight when you saw she’d spit it
out!
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