What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#1

Post by JoachimOfFiore » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 5:41 PM UTC

What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?
sapiens.org

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#2

Post by tlb » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:19 PM UTC

My uncle was an engineer for a toilet paper manufacturing plant, that took logs in one end and put TP rolls out the other end. The path was over a mile long. He worked on variable speed electronic drives for the 1000 horsepower motors that turned the machinery.

TP illustrates the triumph of civilization: 1000s of people all doing specialized jobs so billions of people can each avoid a daily unpleasantness.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#3

Post by k__ » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:38 PM UTC

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#4

Post by jdhawk » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:42 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

Bidet Toilet Seats, all the way.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#5

Post by devnonymous » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:45 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

Yes, that's true. It's alternatively called a bidet shower/spray[1] among other things and as an Asian, I feel using it is way more hygienic than using TP.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidet_shower

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#6

Post by dahart » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:47 PM UTC

> I’m thinking of opening a chain called Urine-Urout All-Natural Laundromat. It’s a sparkling business opportunity!

Best line in the article. Though, TIL contrary to the popular myth, urine isn't sterile.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#7

Post by williamstein » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:48 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

Somebody posted about bidets on HN last time this discussion popped up. I bought two and installed them in my house. WOW! Much to my surprise, they are vastly superior to toilet paper.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#8

Post by tlarkworthy » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:49 PM UTC

I think a machine vision directed spray is the future. I don't fancy collecting the training data though.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#9

Post by gbaygon » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 6:52 PM UTC

williamstein wrote: post #7

k__ wrote: post #3

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

Somebody posted about bidets on HN last time this discussion popped up. I bought two and installed them in my house. WOW! Much to my surprise, they are vastly superior to toilet paper.

It really surprised me while visiting USA the first time that they weren't available. They are pretty standard in my home country (Argentina) and every house has one.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#10

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Apr 04, 2018, 7:06 PM UTC

devnonymous wrote: post #5

k__ wrote: post #3

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

Yes, that's true. It's alternatively called a bidet shower/spray[1] among other things and as an Asian, I feel using it is way more hygienic than using TP. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidet_shower

[deleted]