ABSTRACT
A person suffering from ulcers or sores in the mouth was told to put dirt on them—or more accurately, cover them with red clay. Clay was also used to help stop ongoing stomachaches and pains. A person suffering from ulcers or sores in the mouth was told to put dirt on it— or more accurately, cover it with red clay. Clay was also used to help stop ongoing stomachaches and pains. Throughout history there are records of people from many parts of the world eating dirt and clay. Explorers from the 1800s wrote descriptions of South American members of the Otomacs tribe who included dirt in their regular diet. Eating dirt or earth is called geophagia and has been documented around the world. Native Americans used dirt or clay as a seasoning when cooking acorns and were able to eat them without getting sick.
