Appendicitis’ apparently idiopathic nature has led to many different theories explaining its occurrence. One theory regarding the cause of appendicitis, sometimes facetiously referred to as ""the porcelain throne theory”, was proposed by Dr. Denis Burkitt, who developed the theory after observing low rates of appendicitis in Uganda. He proposed two causes for this: one, the Africans ate a diet high in fiber, and two, they used squat toilets rather than seat toilets. Most health practitioners accept Dr. Burkitt's first cause as a contributing factor, but are unfamiliar with the second one, which has never been tested.