– How and why were people dying from diarrhea back in olden times?

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Diarrhea was, apparently, a common cause of death about 100 years ago or so. How? I ate some bad food, and my poop stopped being solid, and now *I’m going to die?!?*

I ate some really, really delicious General Tso’s Chicken yesterday from a local restaurant. Hours later, well, I think you can do the math. The after-effects are still hitting me today. Annoying, sure, but if this were 100 years ago, apparently my current state means I need to whip out my fountain pen and start writing letters to my beloveds, telling them to please take care of my poor cow Bessie, such a good little lady over all these years, please give her the love she deserves as I slip the surly bonds of earth and touch the face of God. Either that, or, I could just drink a bit of water and eat some incredibly inoffensive food like bread (wasn’t everyone basically eating bread and little else back then anyway) and regain my health?

Can someone explain?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

The issue wasn’t just hydration and “food”, there are significant nutrients that must also be replenished. Electrolytes aren’t going to be recovered by choking down a crust of bread and it isn’t like they can grab a bottle of Gatorade back then. If you poop all your potassium out then your heart will stop.

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