"::darkshadows::" <blood@thirsty.net> wrote in
news:ph3l04lpa9aoj2bmk4usks0o3kp92smtl1@4ax.com:
>
> 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.
>
Something everyone should know LOL.
Mercury.
|
|