Posted on 07/07/2009 3:45:34 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Since the dawn of time, people have found nifty ways to clean up after the bathroom act. The most common solution was simply to grab what was at hand: coconuts, shells, snow, moss, hay, leaves, grass, corncobs, sheep's wool -- and, later, thanks to the printing press -- newspapers, magazines, and pages of books.
The ancient Greeks used clay and stone; the Romans, sponges and salt water. But the idea of a commercial product designed solely to wipe one's bum? That started about 150 years ago, right here in the U.S.A.
In less than a century, Uncle Sam's marketing genius turned something disposable into something indispensable.
Toilet paper gets on a roll The first products designed specifically to wipe one's nethers were aloe-infused sheets of manila hemp dispensed from Kleenex-like boxes.
They were invented in 1857 by a New York entrepreneur named Joseph Gayetty, who claimed his sheets prevented hemorrhoids. Gayetty was so proud of his therapeutic bathroom paper that he had his name printed on each sheet. But his success was limited.
Americans soon grew accustomed to wiping with the Sears Roebuck catalog, and they saw no need to spend money on something that came in the mail for free.
Toilet paper took its next leap forward in 1890, when two brothers named Clarence and E. Irvin Scott popularized the concept of toilet paper on a roll. The Scotts' brand became more successful than Gayetty's medicated wipes, in part because they built a steady trade selling toilet paper to hotels and drugstores.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
My VW still sports its “This Fall fire them all! Reelect no one!” bumper sticker from 1992.
My cousin was in the habit of coming over to “borrow” things and money. One day he wanted to borrow TP. I told him you never borrow TP...I dont want it back.
Yeah :)
That looks just like my cat bag liners. Not that I would copy zer0’s picture and line my cat bags with it so that the scoopables hit his face every time I clean the box, no! I would nevah do such a thing. Not me. No siree.
B
Joe, you know I love you, but I’m embarrassed for you for asking.
LOL! And that’s what I would have found when I came home Sunday after vacation, had I neglected to hide the roll. Pearl is my only cat to molest the toilet paper no matter which way it’s hanging.
Re: he Great Debate- “B”.
Was this thread a precursor to the government passing legislation outlawing production of current types of toilet paper and replacing it with the longer-lasting, mercury powered TP?
/
Actually, you're pretty brave to ask at all, so I take it back about being embarrassed for you.
In fact, here you go:
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