Toilet PaperPast, Present, and Future

Everybody PoopsIn fact, by the time a person reaches 76 years old, he or she will have pooped over 24,000 pounds. To put that weight into perspective, the average male elephant is 12,000 pounds. So essentially, your lifetime of poop will equal two full-size elephants.

Wanted: Double-Ply, Ultra Soft

The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is Be Prepared. No matter what the event or challenge, it’s best to have what you need to ensure a successful outcome. Planning a camping trip? Better bring your rain gear. Thinking about floating the river? Better slip on a life vest. Preparing for a pandemic? Stock up on toilet paper. Wait. What? Okay, so maybe t.p. is not the first thing to pop into your head during a crisis. But for many people, it is a top priority.

Pandemics or other states of emergency can cause people to panic. When a situation feels out of control or scary, humans find comfort in stockpiling or collecting basic needs. It helps them feel safe and prepared. They protect themselves with food, water, and apparently, rolls and rolls of 1000 sheet two-ply toilet paper.

Toilet paper is a product that we all use on a daily basis. We cannot imagine our lives without it really -right? Each day, as we perch upon that porcelain throne, we first scan the room to check our inventory of accessible toilet paper. This is something that you want to have at arm’s reach before doing the deed. The value of this product is notable, but does it deserve to be on the same list of necessities next to bread, milk, and eggs?

Apparently, Americans feel that toilet paper is a top priority during a state of emergency. Don’t believe it? Well, then just check the supermarket aisles right before a threat of severe weather or during a flu pandemic. There is likely to be a shortage of toilet paper.

If you do find yourself in short supply of your favorite toilet tissue, don’t panic! I bet that you can find other ways to clean your backside. After all, invention is born of necessity. Who knows? Maybe you will come up with the next genius replacement product.

Thank you, Mr. Wheeler! The perforated toilet paper roll was patented by Seth Wheeler of Albany, New York. Who would have guessed that toilet paper would make it to the top of the shopping list during a state of emergency?

Wait. What’s a Pandemic?

A pandemic is a

widespread outbreak of

disease.

BTP: Life Before Toilet Paper

Ahh! A wad of ultra soft toilet paper can certainly add a touch of luxury to your bathroom experience. But it wasn’t long ago that people were forced to be a bit more creative with their personal hygiene routine. Let’s take a look at the history of this amazing innovation. The earliest evidence of toilet paper dates back to China in late 14th Century. It was rice-based and produced primarily for the imperial family. Europe and Early America would not be using toilet paper to clean their backsides for another 400 years. Instead, western civilizations used a variety of other clever hygiene tools after a bowel movement.

Throughout history, humans have often used organic materials such as sticks and leaves to tidy up after going to the bathroom. Some civilizations had specific tools intended for wiping. Archeologists have found many interesting artifacts near the ancient ruins of public toilets in Greece and Rome. One such device was a tersorium. A tersorium was a stick with a sponge attached to the end. The sponge was typically soaked in vinegar or salt-water. These sticks have been mentioned in various ancient writings and literature..

Reproduction of tersorium sticks

These sponge-topped sticks were used in Ancient Rome and Greece. They were shared in public restrooms -rinsed off in running water between uses.

Innovation: new

methods, ideas, o

r

products.

BTP: Life Before Toilet Paper

Public bathrooms in Rome often include a basin of flowing water. Patrons would dip the sponge into the water and then proceed to scrub their bums. In ancient Greece, people used smooth pieces of pottery or stone called pessoi to wipe. These little discs would also have to be cleaned after each use. Although toilet paper was not available in ancient Greece and Rome, they found other innovative ways to get the job done.

Ancient Romans did not feel that privacy was necessary when using the toilet.

Ancient Toilets in IsraelPictures from Mrs. Power’s trip to Israel.

Yes, that is your teacher sitting on

an ancient toilet! →

The Invention of Toilet Paper

As time moved along, so did man’s use of personal hygiene products. Early Americans were particularly good at recycling everyday materials for use in their outhouse or after filling their chamber pot. Corn cobs, newspapers, and even the pages of thick catalogues were options for wiping before toilet paper.

Finally, in 1857, inventor Joseph Gayetti introduce the world to the first paper designed specifically for use in the bathroom. Gayetti packaged the toilet tissue as a stack of medicated sheets watermarked with his name. Later, Seth Wheeler of Albany New York, improved upon the idea when he invented the first toilet paper to come on a roll. His design also included perforated tissue squares much like the style we use today. These tearable squares allowed the user to select the appropriate amount of paper necessary to get the job done.

Today the largest producer of toilet tissue is Proctor and Gamble. They manufacture the Charmin toilet tissue. Charmin has been helping people have a “better, more enjoyable bathroom experience” since 1920. The name Charmin was selected after an employee described the paper as “charming.” It is definitely a step up from crumpled newspaper.

So the next time you feel the sudden urge to go to the bathroom, first excuse yourself respectfully. Second, give thanks to those who contributed to the development of our modern day rolls of cottony-soft loveliness. Corn cobs? Really?

Outhouse Toilet Seat circa 1920

-Barnsdall, OK

Potty-TalkAside from the Ancient Greeks and Romans, historically people tended to avoid talk of tissue paper, bathrooms, or bowel movements. Most people like to keep their bathroom activities private. In fact, women never excused themselves to use the bathroom. Instead they would say that they needed to “powder their noses.” It was not polite to speak of bodily functions. It was like a secret code of sorts. People also have nicknames for potties. Before flushable toilets, people went to the bathroom in outhouses or chamber pots. Outhouse were sheds that house a simple toilet over a dugout hole. During the night, a person might use a chamber pot to urinate or poop instead of going outside to use the outhouse. Chamber pots were small porcelain or metal bowls stored under the bed. As you can imagine, chamber pots also had their fair share of nicknames!

Chamber Pot Names

White Owl

Whispering Kettle

Slop Pot

Jimmy John

Thunder Mug

Gazunda

Hygiene: maintaining

health and

cleanliness

Multi-Media Scavenger HuntUse the photos, captions, and articles included to find the answers to the questions

Create a Google Doc with just your numbered answers.

1. Explain the meaning behind the Boy Scout motto Be Prepared. Give an example of how you might prepare for an unexpected situation.

2. What is a pandemic?

3. About how many pounds of poop will you eliminate from your body by the time you are 76 years old?

4. Which country most likely invented the first form of toilet paper?

5. Describe the two wiping tools used by the Ancient Romans and Greeks? Explain each one in detail.

6. Who was the first person to sell stacks of watermarked toilet tissue?

7. What was special about Seth Wheeler’s patented design for toilet paper?

8. Find the Seth Wheeler’s patent drawing for the toilet paper roll. What date did Seth Wheeler receive the patent for his invention?

9. Think about it: What would be some reasons a person might choose to use a chamber pot over an outhouse? List at least two.

10. List three nicknames for a chamber pot:

11. If you traveled back in time, which wiping tool would want to AVOID using? Explain why.

Go to Next page ↓

Current Events: Toilet Paper in News

Use the internet to find a recent news article about toilet paper. Read and analyze the article by answering the following questions.

12. Name of Newspaper:

13. Title of Article:

14. Author:

15. Article Website Link: (ex. www.augustachronicle.com)

16. Who are the people mentioned in the article? These could be exact names or just the groups of people involved in the story.

17. What is happening?

18. Where does this story take place -city and state?

19. When did the story occur?

20. Why was this article written?