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Summary Of Gulp By Mary Roach

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“Gulp”, written by Mary Roach, is a book to educate the readers about the alimentary canal. The alimentary canal is a long tube which runs from the mouth to the anus; it is a part of the digestive system. Some of the organs include the mouth, stomach, intestine, and the anus. Roach makes a point that the nose is an underrated organ in the eating process because smell is where taste begins. This leads into a discussion about chewing and the taboo and ick factor of saliva. The act of not eating a plate of food after one has spit in it boggles the mind of Roach. The enzymes in our saliva prevent us from catching a cold when we drink from an infected person and breaks down food into the digestive system. Roach fills this book with interesting characters …show more content…

One topic that struck me the most was about fecal transplants, an alternate way of defeating this bacterium which occurs in the intestines. A certain type of bacteria called, Clostridium difficile is one of the most common causes of infection and taking antibiotics will disrupt the normal bacteria of the bowel. It is difficult to get rid of this bacterium and the lingering of this will lead to inflammation and diarrhea. A tested donor will donate their waste to save someone else’s life. By using a colonoscope, gastroenterologists can import one’s fecal to the patient. The donor’s fecal consists of healthy bacteria that the patient needs and by putting it in, it is basically helping the patient grow and develop a whole different set of bacteria that takes over. The fecal transplants have about a 90 percent cure rate for chronic Clostridium difficile infection. I learned how this process is not gross and how effective operation is. It does not have much of a downside to it. By mentioning this procedure in this book, she is bringing attention to the matter. She wants to normalize this treatment because many people suffer from this condition and fecal transplant is an easier and more effective way of curing this infection. The more we talk about this, the more people will get used to hearing this procedure. Reading about this, at first, I thought it was disgusting and harmful. But as I found out more about fecal transplants, I learned how helpful this treatment is for people who need it. The ick factor will dissolve if more people discuss about fecal

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