More Not-so-useless Trivia

 I know, I've done this already.  The last time, though, was mostly a run of disconnected pieces of information.  This time, I thought I'd give more-than-you-ever-wanted-to-know about something we take for granted, but would be loathe to be without.


Technology.  When we hear that word, we tend to think of computers, high-speed internet connections, cell phones and other more recent developments.  We forget that it wasn't all that long ago that technology wasn't even a common word.  The first recorded use of "technology" with the meaning "science of the mechanical and industrial arts" was in 1859.  The phrase "high-tech" was coined in 1972.

Our first (yep, I plan on more of these!) example of early technology is the flush toilet.  The British were the leaders of the pack in the manufacture of  flush toilets.  (Of course, the city of London, by the late 12th century, was a churning mass of people and animals with no proper way of disposing of waste. There's a lot in the history of London that relates to all this, but it would be too much to put down here.)  J. F. Brondel invented the valve-type flush toilet in 1738.  A flurry of inventiveness from 1775 to 1778 further refined the functionality.  John Crapper (he was not the inventor of the flush-toilet, though he did improve upon it's design) opened his manufacturing company in London in 1861, by which point, the problem of sewer gas emissions had been rectified.  (I have no inclination to provide you with the mechanics of the flush toilet.  If you want to know, I suggest you Google it.  Hmm.  At what point did "Google" become a verb?)  Across the pond, in the U.S., the flush toilet did not catch on quickly.  Having more open spaces, I guess Americans were content with the outhouse.  (Personally, the idea of running outside to pee during sub-zero wind chills would have been enough to inspire me to invent something better!)  The first American patent for a toilet, the "plunger closet" was granted in 1857.  But it wasn't until after The Great War (WWI), when our soldiers returned with stories of a "mighty slick invention" used widely throughout England, that the flush toilet became commonplace.  Barely 90 years ago!


See, I told you it would be more-than-you-wanted-to-know stuff.  And I condensed quite a bit.  Just a few more interesting (at least, to me!) and related facts:

• Did you know that King Minos of Crete had the first flushing water closet over 2800 years ago?
• Did you know that a toilet was discovered in the tomb of a Chinese king of the Western Han Dynasty that dates back to circa 200 B.C.?
• Did you know that the first packaged toilet paper was the invention of American Joseph Gayetty in 1857 and that it was premoistened flat-sheets medicated with aloe and called Gayetty's Medicated Paper?
• Did you know that toilet paper in roll form did not become common until 1907?
• Did you know that in 1935, Northern Tissue company first advertised "splinter-free toilet paper?  Yeah, that's right.  Early paper production techniques sometimes left splinters in the paper.  And you thought generic toilet paper was bad!  Ouch!
• Did you know that in 1973 America experienced it's first toilet paper shortage?
• Did you know that originally toilet brushes were made of wood with pig bristles or hair from horses, oxen, squirrels and badgers?
• Did you know there are techniques to toilet train a cat?

Well, now you've been plunged you into the world of toilets.  I think I've flushed out enough facts for you, for now.  You are probably relieved to see the end of this posting.  Heehee. Okay, enough puns.  I just couldn't resist!


This guy is making a fortune with these books: