History
Before paper was widely available, a variety of materials were
employed. The Romans used an L-shaped stick (like a hockey stick) made
of wood or precious metal; at public toilets people used sponges on
sticks that were kept in saltwater between uses. In arid climates,
sand, powdered brick, or earth was used. Until the late nineteenth
century, Muslims were advised to use three stones to clean up. One
favorite tool was a mussel shell, used for centuries. Until the early
twentieth century, corn cobs were used.
In the late fifteenth century, when paper became widely available, it
began to replace other traditional materials. Sometimes old
correspondence was pressed into service, as were pages from old books,
magazines, newspapers, and catalogs. People also used old paper bags,
envelopes, and other bits of scrap paper, which were cut into pieces
and threaded onto a string that was kept in the privy.
Toilet paper is a fairly modern invention, making its debut around
1880 when it was developed by the British Perforated Paper Company.
Made of a coarser paper than its modern incarnation, it was sold in
boxes of individual squares. In America, the Scott Paper Company made
its Waldorf brand toilet paper in rolls as early as 1890. The first
rolls were not perforated, and lavatory dispensers had serrated teeth
to cut the paper as needed. It was a nearly "unmentionable" product
for years, and consumers were often embarrassed to ask for it by name
or even be seen buying it. Timid shoppers simply asked for "Two,
please," and the clerk presumably knew what they wanted. To keep
things discreet, toilet paper was packaged and sold in brown paper
wrappers.
During the 120 years since its introduction, toilet paper has changed
little, although it's now perforated, and may be scented, embossed, or
colored. Recently, toilet paper manufacturers increased the number of
sheets on a roll, allowing consumers to replace the roll less
frequently.
|
|