Dean writes:

>As for my experimenting with eating raw grains and beans and reporting the
>results: Doctor Cordain, I am inspired by your suggestion, and in the
>interests of science am starting immediately.  I will be saving all my
>post-prandially produced materials for the next two weeks in tightly
>sealed thermos containers.   However, I suspect I would lack sufficient
>objectivity in the area of gas spectrum analysis; after all, like most
>people, I am quite convinced that my natural output has no particularly
>redolent effluvium.   Knowing your own keen interest in this subject
>area, I will dispatch my un-fossilized coprolite on a daily basis to the
>Colorado State University for your (I am sure) assiduous and fully objective
>evaluation.  Perhaps we can then co-publish a paper on the results.

Although I have had a singular experience with this kind of work
(Cordain L. et al.  The effects of an aerobic running program on bowel
transit time. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1986;26:101-04) , I will forego
Dean's generous offer for analysis of his un-fossilized specimens and
suggest that he submit the evidence to Dr. Kristin Sobolik at Texas A&M,
who is generally considered to be the -Dean- of coprolite analysis.
        Although we are having a good laugh with this topic, it is indeed a
valuable source of evidence for prehistoric diets and should be
considered a serious topic.   I refer our subscribers to:  Sobolik KD.
Direct evidence for the importance of small animals to prehistoric
diets: A review of coprolite studies.  North Am Archaeologist 1993 14:
227-44.   Dr Sobolik has a Web page and perhaps Dean could convince her
to join this august group!