Whereas food has always received much attention in conversation, commerce,
and the literature, the subject of feces has been comparatively neglected.
To fill this lacuna, a small book on comparative coprology was recently pub
lished (Lewin 1999). The present article aims to supplement this book with
a review of overlooked or new items relating to biological and medical aspe
cts of coprology, notably chemical and microbial components of human and an
imal feces, their uses as fertilizers, and a few other sociological impacts
.