Mud pies. The eating of dirt is called geophagy. Many animals practice it for a variety of reasons. Parrots often congregate in large numbers to nibble on chalk cliffs. It may serve nutritional purposes or may be a natural hedge against digestive problems. But the black “rich” soil that Violet prefers is the dangerous kind, at least if served uncooked.
Kaolin clay was commercially extracted from soil for many years as a main ingredient in many anti-diarrheal medicines. At other times, attapulgite clay was used. If you took a dose of Kaopectate before it was reformulated in 2004, you were swallowing clay extracted from the soil, usually in Alabama.
Dirt eating was practiced in some poor rural communities of the American South as recently as the 1990s. Might still be.
The dangers are obvious, from the ingestion of parasites to consumption of dangerous chemicals either naturally occurring or the result of contamination. Usually, baking solves the parasitic problem and sterilizes the dirt of any bacteria. Care selection of particular soils from particular localities minimizes the chance of poison ingestion.
Usually, clay-rich or chalk-rich soils are chosen, and there is some evidence that it actually supplies needed minerals that are lacking in the typical diet of poor people. Other studies have suggested anti-bacterial properties to chalky soils.
One rural doctor always asked his patients if they ate such substances. About a third of them admitted to doing so, usually women, and often only during pregnancy and an attendant “craving”. He said that in years of practice he saw only one patient with health problems that might have resulted from eating unbaked dirt.
Templo S.U.D. almost 5 years ago
Oh, Violet moved away, but stayed in town?
juncarlo almost 5 years ago
And also the mud pies don’t taste the same anymore.
socalvillaguy Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I remember mud pies but never became enough of a connoisseur to tell the difference.
theincrediblebulk almost 5 years ago
wait a second. People ate or eat mud pies? I thought that was just a joke for this comic strip.
ksu71 almost 5 years ago
Well then have dad buy some compost.
Wichita1.0 almost 5 years ago
Edging her out sloooooowly. Within few years, Patty, Violet and Shermy were gone.
nosirrom almost 5 years ago
Now her mud pies are dirt poor.
jless almost 5 years ago
I didn’t expect this comic to be so dirty!
jimmjonzz Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Kaolin clay was commercially extracted from soil for many years as a main ingredient in many anti-diarrheal medicines. At other times, attapulgite clay was used. If you took a dose of Kaopectate before it was reformulated in 2004, you were swallowing clay extracted from the soil, usually in Alabama.
Dirt eating was practiced in some poor rural communities of the American South as recently as the 1990s. Might still be.
The dangers are obvious, from the ingestion of parasites to consumption of dangerous chemicals either naturally occurring or the result of contamination. Usually, baking solves the parasitic problem and sterilizes the dirt of any bacteria. Care selection of particular soils from particular localities minimizes the chance of poison ingestion.
Usually, clay-rich or chalk-rich soils are chosen, and there is some evidence that it actually supplies needed minerals that are lacking in the typical diet of poor people. Other studies have suggested anti-bacterial properties to chalky soils.
One rural doctor always asked his patients if they ate such substances. About a third of them admitted to doing so, usually women, and often only during pregnancy and an attendant “craving”. He said that in years of practice he saw only one patient with health problems that might have resulted from eating unbaked dirt.
Shikamoo Premium Member almost 5 years ago
How thoughtful of her.