# Your Manure Lesson for the Day   PG-13



## walking dude (May 30, 2008)

You learn something everyday...here's your lesson:

Manure:  In the 16th and 17th centuries,  everything had to be transported by 
ship and it was also before  commercial fertilizer's invention, so large 
shipments of manure were common. 

It  was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, 
but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the  process 
of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane  gas As the 
stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) 
happen. 

Methane  began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below 
at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! 

Several  ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just 
what was happening.    


After  that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term 'Ship 
High In Transit' on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough  
off of the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not 
touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.   


Thus  evolved the term ' S.H.I.T ' , (Ship High In Transport) which has come 
down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.   

You probably did not know the true history of this  word.   

Neither  did I.


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## travcoman45 (May 30, 2008)

Great trivia wd!


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## zzerru (Jun 14, 2008)

Amusing, but unfortunately untrue...

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/****.asp


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## daboys (Jun 14, 2008)

Hey, *S*hip *H*igh *I*n *T*ransport happens. Sounded good to me.


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