• Kitathalla@lemy.lol
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    16
    ·
    18 hours ago

    Fecal matter is usually large intestine. It’s chyme in the small intestine. Some of the defining characteristics of fecal matter are things like the large amount of bacteria (up to 1/3 of its weight at exit), the color (yay bilirubin conversion), and the compaction (and simultaneously occurring dehydration). When we’re missing those things, we usually identify it as something other than feces. That means, nominally, that you don’t really have much poop until you’re well into the large intestine. Color is the weakest of those, but it is such a good indication of something going wrong if changed that I would say it is a part of anything that could be considered ‘true poop.’

      • Kaity
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        10 hours ago

        I looked it up, gross and true. Dead bacteria at least, if that makes it less unnerving.

    • saigot@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      9 hours ago

      So if you have bad diarrhea, that’s niether brown nor compact and I’m guessing is less bacteria by weight (because of its higher water content), would that still be chyme and not feces?