Why?

y2kmark

Class of 69...
May 19, 2002
18,941
5,381
113
Lewiston, NY
This from eBizarre.com:

Bizarre fact #2928:
Did you know...
Approximately 16 Canadians have their appendices removed, when not required, every day.

:confused:
 

rafterman

A sadder and a wiser man
Feb 15, 2004
3,504
101
63
I've heard of people who are going to some very remote location for an extended period having appendectomies as a preventative measure as inflamed appendix is eminently curable but if you have no hospital access you're probably a goner.
 

Rockslinger

Banned
Apr 24, 2005
32,766
0
0
What exactly is the purpose of the appendix?

It seems that the body can manage with losing a few non-vital organs like the appendix, gall bladder, spleen, tonsils, etc. Are you guys missing any original body parts?
 

C Dick

Banned
Feb 2, 2002
4,215
2
0
Ontario
I read that they had just recently figured out the purpose of the appendix. It is for holding bacteria, so that when you get food poisoning, the appendix can recharge the digestive system with good bacteria. But because today bad food is much more rare, it ends up causing more problems than it solves.
 

Rockslinger

Banned
Apr 24, 2005
32,766
0
0
It is for holding bacteria, so that when you get food poisoning, the appendix can recharge the digestive system with good bacteria. But because today bad food is much more rare, it ends up causing more problems than it solves.
Maybe they can make it standard procedure to remove the appendix at birth (instead of mutilating the male genitalia).
 

hesitant

New member
Sep 10, 2008
227
0
0
I read that they had just recently figured out the purpose of the appendix. It is for holding bacteria, so that when you get food poisoning, the appendix can recharge the digestive system with good bacteria. But because today bad food is much more rare, it ends up causing more problems than it solves.
In reality the appendix probably does far more good than your realize, especially with the prevalent use of anti-biotics making the recharging of the digestive tract with beneficial flora much more important than in the past... one indictator of the importance of beneficial bacteria is the current prolifieration of proboitic foods...

While foodborne illnesses may not be as common today as they have been in the past, the severity of the outcome is just as severe if not worse with the development of resistant strains of bacteria... making beneficial strains of bacteria that may be stored in the appendix much more important than you think.
 

Rockslinger

Banned
Apr 24, 2005
32,766
0
0
In reality the appendix probably does far more good than your realize, especially with the prevalent use of anti-biotics making the recharging of the digestive tract with beneficial flora much more important than in the past
What makes the appendix go bad? Too much alcohol?
 

The Options Menu

A Not So New Member
Sep 13, 2005
5,896
3,143
113
GTA
I've heard of people who are going to some very remote location for an extended period having appendectomies as a preventative measure as inflamed appendix is eminently curable but if you have no hospital access you're probably a goner.
I've known people who got that done. They were doing development work with indigenous groups in 3rd world countries. The sorts of places where you wouldn't trust the good hospitals, let alone the health care in some rural region with piss poor roads and no infrastructure. It's also common to bring your own syringes (which are fun at US airports) and a whack of basic first aid stuff and medicine. It's customary to leave that behind when you go... That and you get a raft of immunizations before you go.
 

Timbit

Tasty and Roundish
Jan 7, 2002
1,692
30
48
In Ecstacy
I think people have it removed to reduce weight thereby increasing their gas mileage...

Timbit
 
Ashley Madison
Toronto Escorts