Re: Mints?

[Cliff Parker <cparker@CHARTER.NET>]

Thank you for taking a stab at it. Your thoughts are similar to mine. Is the
effect psychological or physical.  Does my brain confuse the sensations
being sent its way and somehow think that mint means hot or does the mint
actually stimulate blood flow into the mouth and therefore make a
significantly altered temperature differential than usual.  I lean toward
the latter since menthol type compounds are use as liniments that increase
blood flow and provide warming sensations that soothe my aching back.  I
guess I'll have to keep looking.

Cliff Parker



"Bernard G. Cleyet & Nancy Ann Seese" wrote:

> Since it's been > 24 h., I'll stab it.  I think the three tubs of water
> and two hands -- same person -- is homologous.  (For those who have
> missed this one:  hot, cold, and luke;  one each in hot and cold for
> about a min., then put them in the luke.  Strange, no?  Well the mint is
> similar to the hot water, in contrast the following water feels colder.
> The water also removes the "hot" mint stimulation.  If one were to
> remove the stimulation w/o a "temp.", I suspect that, "it" would feel
> cold.  Xpt.:  Try 37 deg. C. water.
>
> bc
>
> P.s.  The question is a physiology one, which contains Physics!
> Therefore, applicable!
>
> Cliff Parker wrote:
>
> > Probably not too much physics here but a question one of my
> > students asked that has me stumped.  Why is it when a person
> > drinks water directly after eating a mint the water feels
> > colder?  Any ideas?
> >
> > Cliff Parker