Life of Pee

 

Life of Pee

Yesterday’s post about using urine to cure a copper roof reminded me of this little volume by Sally Magnusson. It is a cornucopia of arresting and well-researched detail.

 For example, in addition to being used to tan leather and provide saltpetre to produce gunpowder or preserve meat, it had an interesting role to play in the manufacture of Harris tweed. It softened the material and fixed the dye. Have you ever stood next to someone wearing damp, very old, tweed? Urine is no longer used in modern production, so damp new tweed will not have the same aroma.

In Ancient Rome, urine was used in laundering clothes, the ammonia in it being a natural cleaning agent.

It was also used as an antiseptic in treating wounds.

In 1969, four full urine storage bags were left on the moon, along with other bags of human waste. These were not part of an experiment, but a means of lightening the load in the spacecraft, for its return to Earth.

 Modern science uses hormones extracted from urine in fertility treatment, and stem cells from urine have been ‘reprogrammed’ into neurons and used in medical research.

This waste product has been useful in so many ways and is now finding a purpose in medical science. Perhaps we should be doing even more with it! 

April A to Z blogging challenge Pee

Last week I bought ‘Life of Pee’ by Sally Magnusson. I already knew of the role of urine in curing leather and promoting compost but was surprised to read of its use as an alternative to yeast.

This fascinating, well-researched little volume will provide any reader with facts to astound a captive audience!

When I told my youngest daughter I’d bought ‘Life of Pee’ she gravely corrected me. ‘No, ‘Life  of Pi’’ she said. I read that a few years ago and I can assure you there are more smiles- and shocks - to be found in this book.

A Quick One - Taking the Piss

Frodo the Faller has a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and has to return to the vet tomorrow for further urine tests. He, or rather the vet, needs a urine sample and my husband has just said to me, 'You're good at taking the piss!'

Ummm . . . yes . . . there's no denying that. I have to say it's much easier taking a urine sample from a dog than a bitch (or a male rather than a female - human, that is!)

Urine is good for other things too, of which more anon!