Somethings we just take for granted, like toilet paper.  I got to thinking about it and went of course to the internet to find out more about it and to my surprise found out that rolled toilet paper was not invented until 1871.  Our pioneer ancestors came to Utah in 1847!

What was used before the invention of toilet paper?

The internet says, corn cobs!  Coconut husks!  Sea shells!  OUCH!!!!  Some used moss (a bit less ouchie, but what about bugs?) in the summer time and snow in the winter….OOOOO!  Others used leaves, some used a natural sponge hooked to the end of a stick…Ever thought about the phrase, “Got the wrong end of the stick”?  And even today, some still use the ancient traditional method of cleaning up after a good….well, you know…by using their left hand!  Could this explain all of the 111’s on the bathroom wall?

So hand shaking with the right hand does make sense now.

We have certainly got to thank our lucky stars we were born after toilet paper was invented.  I can not imagine wiping up with a corn cob.  Of course my fictitious mountain man character chewed pine cones to clean his teeth and I suppose he didn’t even think twice about grabbing up a handful of thistle leaves to wipe with.

One interenet site said the Northern company advertised their toilet paper as “Splinter Free”, in 1935….That should have signaled the end of the depression!

Bears Butt

Aug. 2011