Toidie Too!

In 1792, a toilet that flushes itself at regular intervals was patented by John Ashley. Thank you John Ashley was my first impression…until I did a little research on this closed door invention. It seems that flush toilets have been used since the early Romans (wonder why the Ingalls' never new about them) I mean early, like 4,000 years ago. That is 2000 years before we started counting forward!

Have you ever thought that we would never be able to do, invent or create so many other things without having a flush toilet? Imagine…The Empire State Building with out a flush toilet. Or any other skyscraper. They never would have happened, because the outhouse would have been dozens of stories below. 

 How about an airplane? Speaking of transportation, a bus or a train without a toilet. I mean, I guess it could be done, You could go with out, but getting everyone on the bus/train to get the same ‘constitutional’ rythym would be difficult. Another thought, I guess you could just have a seat down to a hole in the floor…but, (no pun intended) I don’t think in the long run that would be advisable.

What other things could we not have if a flush toilet were not invented…Fewer magazines would be needed (where else do you catch up on your Newsweek and People?). And if toilet paper hadn’t been invented around 589AD, we would need a whole lot more newspapers. Although in Rome, they used a communal sea sponge (sometimes on a stick).

Here are a few famous names in toiletry:

1738-J.F. Brondel-Valve-type flush toilet.  1775-Alexander Cummings, Britian-Standing water in the bowl with sliding valve above the trap.  1777-Samuel Prosser- “Plunger Closet”  1778-Joseph Bramah-hinged/crank valve seals bottom of bowl and float valve system (boats)  1793- Mr. Binns of Marylebone-Fills with water when you sit, flushes when you stand.  (UNK)  Ms. Lore Harp, San Mateo, CA – La Funelle ( the Funnel) Used to allow women to wee while standing for hygenic reasons.  1819-Albert Giblin-Silent Valvless Water Waste Preventer, uses siphon system.  1853-Joseph Adamson, Leeds England and 1854-George Jennings, -Counter-balance to tip when full, then siphoned out as needed.  1880’s Thomas Crapper’s plumbing company built Giblin designed toilets, popularizing the siphon system over floating valve systems. The name is a coincidence.  1885-Thomas Twyford-one piece china toilet with siphon system.  1906-William Elvis Sloan-The Flushometer, pressurized water directly from supply line.  1907-Thomas MacAvity Stewart- Vortex Flush Toilet, “Cleanses”toilet.

1980-Bruce Thompson, 1 or 2 flush. Uses less water for pee-pee and more for poo-poo.

Here are alternate names for our subject:

Lavatory, Lav, Loo, Water Closet, WC, Comfort Room, CR, Khazi (Karzy, Kharzie, Carzey, Dunny, Privy, Netty, Backhouse, Outhouse, House of Ease, Little House, House of Office, Latrine, Head, oh, yes and Bathroom.