Researchers from the Royal Infirmary in Bristol, England developed a tool to help patients describe their stools. It was a way to help patients and doctors determine if their stools were normal or not. The Bristol Stool chart divides stools into 7 categories, making it fairly easy to see what category you typically fall in or to compare your reaction if you are feeling ill or struggling with something you’ve eaten.

The Bristol stool scale is a diagnostic medical tool designed to classify the form of human feces into seven categories. It is also known as the BSC or BSF scale.