Etymology

Manure

 

An interesting fact about Manure:

In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything for export had to be transported by ship.

It was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments

of manure were quite common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than

when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become

heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a

by-product is methane gas.  Since the stuff was stored below  decks in

bundles - you can see what could (and did) happen.

Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came

below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined

just what was happening.

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the

instruction  ' Stow high in transit ' on them, which meant for the

sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water

that came into the hold would not touch this "volatile" cargo  and

start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term ' S.H.I.T ' : (Stow. High. In. Transit)

which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day!