I must admit space travel has never really interested me. Space in general has always perplexed me. I always ask, what is beyond space? More space. Beyond that? More space. There is no answer, no distinct finite amount of space, it's all just unanswered questions. Being in such close space to another person without the option to leave would make me crazy. Add in the fact that no one is showered and the smell is horrific, you would never catch me up in space. Chapter 10 of Packing For Mars by Mary Roach was particularly gruesome for me to even comprehend. Even thought of not showering for a day makes my skin crawl. The in depth descriptions of how the body coats itself in sebum and bacteria cause the odor to be present makes my stomach churn. You see, I am very meticulous about personal hygiene. I know it is healthier for hair the less it is washed per week but for fear of a greasy scalp I was my hair daily and shave the excess hair. The mention that "sebum develops a distinctive aroma as bacteria break it down" (Roach, 206) and "two of the Skylab astronauts reported that their heads developed offensive odors" (Roach, 206) allows me to almost smell what this odor could be like and sends bile into the back of my throat. I am used to unpleasant odors, as a nurse I deal with many but one of the worst is the smell of an unwashed body. Its not necessarily the body odor smell that you would typically think but the smell of dead skin cells, it is sickening.
Earlier on in the chapter they author gives us a lovely scene of what clothing can do in these situations. Speaking of the astronauts not washing their bodies but they are also not changing their clothes. It was "noted that the subjects' clothes eventually began 'sticking to the...groin and other body fold areas and were very odorous and starting to decompose" (Roach, 199). Excuse me, decompose? How on Earth or Space did these men tolerate not only their dirty bodies but also the fact their clothes were decomposing? The whole chapter, although very enlightening, made me want to vomit and then go scrub my body for an hour.
I agreed with you. after reading chapter 10, I felt reluctant to finished the rest of the chapters. I cant imaging going a day without shower or having to keep the same cloths on for day. this chapter was way to disturbing to read. I'm a nursing student and I can relate to what you said about body odor. body odor is the worse smell ever and than adding not changing your cloths to the smell. I cant even imagine what it was like for them.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I am with you there. I have experienced not taking a shower for a couple of days, and I cannot stand it. I can't imagine lasting for a long while on a space vessel and not changing my clothes. This chapter was often quite detailed in a grotesque way, but it was very interesting.
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