The Toilet’s Evolution
Camille Brandt
Toilets are one of the main fixtures that is located within a bathroom, however, it has not always been a common practice to include a toilet in a home. This research focuses on how the bathroom has been transformed after many years of innovation and what drove it to the point it is at today. The fixture itself was the main point of research, and showed how the fixture evolved based on current needs and how it was evolved throughout the 1800’s. In my primary research, Clean and Decent: The Fascinating History of the Bathroom and Water Closet By Lawrence Wright, it goes into depth on how the toilet evolved from a hole in a wall to an indoor fixture that allowed users to remove waste from their home without having the inconvenience of leaving their home entirely. Highlighting the major innovations such as indoor plumbing, but also the specific designs of toilets that lead to major innovations that lead us to a toilet that one in this century may recognize.
Cesspools of London
Phase 1 of research, During this phase understanding how waste was removed allowed for insite on the challenges that was associated with disposing of waste during a period where indoor plumming was rare.
Evolution of Toilets in the 1800’s
Phase 2 of research, The Evolution of Toilets allowed users create and environment that was beneficial to both the rich and the poor. This explains how toilets were evolved with multiple factors in mind such as cost and overall efficiency.
How Long Do I Have to Hold it?
Reflection Blog Post.
Covid has had many effects over the last year, however, many of us did not think of how it would effect us when it came to using public restrooms.
England From Medieval to 18th Century
Medieval London started like most societies with little technology for sewer systems. This leads to many unique and interesting ways to alleviate waste in day to day life. Many of these ways included Latrines that were over flowing water, cesspools and many other ways. These allowed for waste to be taken away and avoid odor, however accessibility was limited for the lower class. While nobility created latrines for many floors, others were left without. This created public latrines more popular and many buildings were left without latrines readily accessible. Soon nobility would have access to garderobes these would typically be on the wall of castles. Through technology we see the use of pipes and how they gradually allow privies to be more flexible.
Bibliography
Angus, Ian. Cesspols, Sewage, and Social Murder: Environmental Crisis and Metabolic Rift in Nineteenth-Century London.
Geels, Frank W. The Hygenic Transition from Cesspools to Sewer Systems (1840-1930): The Dynamics of Regime Transformation
Amenabar, Teddy. “Regarding Using a Public Bathroom in the Middle of a Pandemic.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 16 Oct. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/10/15/coronavirus-public-restroom/.
Calechman, Steve. “How Risky Is Using a Public Bathroom during the Pandemic?” Harvard Health Blog, 24 Aug. 2020, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-risky-is-using-a-public-bathroom-during-the-pandemic-2020071420556.
Kearnan, Scott. “Oh, Crap: In COVID-Era Boston, Free Bathrooms Are Hard to Find.” Boston Magazine, Boston Magazine, 21 Jan. 2021, www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2021/01/21/covid-no-public-bathrooms/.
Wright, Lawrence. Clean and Decent: the Fascinating History of the Bathroom and Water Closet.The Viking press. New York.
Angus, Ian. Cesspols, Sewage, and Social Murder: Environmental Crisis and Metabolic Rift in Nineteenth-Century London.
Image Source
Calechman, Steve. “How Risky Is Using a Public Bathroom during the Pandemic?” Harvard Health Blog, 24 Aug. 2020, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-risky-is-using-a-public-bathroom-during-the-pandemic-2020071420556.
Unearthing the Health of Victorian London. Unearthing the health of Victorian London | Wellcome Library
Jane Austen’s World: 1931 image of Woman dumping waste water down the sewer.