The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #112155 Message #2372554
Posted By: Skivee
23-Jun-08 - 12:00 PM
Thread Name: Folklore: Expression - a peck of dirt
Subject: RE: BS: Expression - a peck of dirt
Well, Poppagator, to amplify on Kent Davis's comment, the eating of dirt may be geophagia, but the genaric term is Pica.
It is a bizarre medical condition that is charictorized by the persistant ingestion of various non-food substances; including dirt, chalk, clay, and/or feces. There is some speculation that it is a primal response to the body's perception that it is in need of some mineral substance lacking in the person's diet.