[Calvin Mentor]

Calvin Mentor  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Dear  Chris

Biology question

We take a pill when having a headache, or take a pill to soothe an aching stomach

Why can't we take a pill to change the odour of our fart. If its a stinker why not take something to reduce or perfume the bad smell?

Calvin Mentor

What do you think?

[Professor Karmadillo]

I suspect a suppository rather than a pill might make for more aromatic flatulence.

[RD]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal_biscuit

or gas-tight charcoal underpants ...

[Don_1]

Now don't misunderstand me, I get your meaning here. The sweet smell of Jasmine would be infinitely better than the putrid pong of rotten eggs........ But, and its a big 'but'.

Look, here's a big 'but'

BUT ← A big 'but'

And here's another big butt

← Another big butt (and more in keeping with the question, I might add.)

Imagine yourself in an elevator, there you stand, with a number of others, on your way to the 24th floor, when suddenly the sweet smell of Jasmine wafts under your olfactory organ.

Now, what do you think?

Is it - 'Mmmm what a lovely smell of Jasmine.'

Or is it - 'Someone's farted.'

Be honest, this is not the sort of aroma one would expect to encounter in an elevator under ordinary circumstances, is it?

Yep, you are going to know from whence this perfume is emanating and you are not going to best pleased about getting a proboscis full of it.


I would suggest a pill to make these gaseous eruptions odourless might be more face saving for the culprit and leave the co-passengers in the lift blissfully unaware, unless the gases were particularly potent and rendered all unconscious.