WhatdidIsay to make you get the hump?

Posted by Lewis on November 03, 2005

In Reply to: A bit of biology like posted by Smokey Stover on November 02, 2005

: : : What does the saying "A man's not a camel" mean? I know it has to do with drinking beer. My guess is that guys use it as an excuse to drink alot, in saying "Well, I can't take it with me (like a camel can) so I better drink it now". That's my interpretation anyway... thoughts??

: : camels are renowned for storing liquid in their bodies so that they can last a long time between drinks as they wander across deserts.

: : men can't do that.

: : simple as that.

: : L

: Camels have several ways of conserving water, and they can indeed last long after all the other animals are dead of dehydration. Once at a source of water, a camel can drink a great deal and store it because of physiological adaptations, but it doesn't store water in its hump (or humps). Fat is stored there, which can be used for fuel when necessary. SS

I was careful not to refer to storage in the hump(s) as I couldn't remember their exact conservation method and seemed to recall that the humps were not water-storage devices.

Still, we have established beyond doubt that a camel manages without a drink better than a man.