Why is diarrhea sometimes referred to as Montezuma's revenge?

Question

Who is Montezuma and how is someone having the squirts his revenge? What's that about?

Answer 1

Depends on the part of the world you're from.  In Australia, it's either known as Delhi Belly or Bali Belly.

Montezuma's Revenge is the U.S. equivalent, and reflects on the less than hygienic food purveyors south of the border.

Oh... and to answer the first part of your question... Montezuma was the name given to a couple of Aztec chiefs.  And in this case, specifically the one involved with the Conquistadors and the Spanish invasion.

Answer 2

montezuma was an aztec chief. drinking mexican water can give you the runs. Therefore his revenge.

Answer 3

the guy who "pissed him off" was Cortez. He invaded maxico, ravaged his people, and ultimately laid everything to ruin for conquest in the name of spain. :)

Answer 4

Montezuma was the most famous and almost if not last king of the Aztecs. The revenge you mention is a disease that is contracted by drinking unfiltered water in Mexico, where the Aztecs once ruled from what is now Mexico City. The Aztecs were conquered and Montezuma killed by the Spanish Conquistadors, the first foreigners to visit. Now any foreigner must beware this disease or risk a completely ruined trip to a very beautiful country, as long as your in Cancun.

Answer 5

Perhaps the ingestion of Mexican food brings on unsteady bowels?

Answer 6

When the Spaniards came over to the Americas, the drank the water, and got really sick with diarrhea and died form it etc. But the Indians had already developed an immunity to it, and the Spaniards did not, thus when the b******s came over and stole the land, slaughtered people, etc. they said it was revenge for all the bad stuff they did.

Answer 7

I think that was a volcano* so both having explosive qualities.

Answer 8

that's kinda funny.

Answer 9

the lime in the water in Mexico can give a person diarrhea.you have heard "you can go to Mexico but don't drink the water" i don't know whythey call it that, maybe Montezuma put the lime in the water. go figure.

Answer 10

It's not a reference to general diarrhea. It's specifically noted for the indigestion and diarrhea people get from eating Mexican food.

Typically this mainly happens to caucasians and people who come from European countries that do not have systems adapted to the use of spices in cooking.

For example, Mexicans don't really get that, nor do many other Central/Souther Americans, also Indians, and peoples of Southeast asia, middle/east and Mediterranean cultures.

Answer 11

It is no only from eating Mexican food an water, but also from drinking Tequila.