Due to the nationwide shortage of toilet paper, I feel it’s necessary to share a little history.
As well as a helpful alternative in these troubling times.
You know the old saying, “When in Rome?”
Well……
The Ancient Romans were never bothered by a lack of tripe ply Charmin.
No, sir.
Not when they had their handy tersoriums.
I’ll pause for a moment to let you conjure a mental image of using one the next time you pay a visit.
Got it?
Alright then…. moving on.
Death by lion…. or swallowing a tersorium?
Sorry, but I’m going with the lion every time.
And in case you’re interested?
You should be thanking this man that you’re not outside searching for a stick right now.
Joseph C. Gayetty.
The inventor of modern toilet paper.
Corn cobs?
No thank you.
But if the Covid shortage continues, we’re all going to wish the Sears catalog was still being printed.
And now that I think about it….
Maybe I need to check the husband’s barn for this stuff. If anyone has some, it will be my other half.
Far be it for me to woo my own destruction.
I always wondered….*rolls eyes as she walks away looking back over her shoulder……….worried*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t worry.
It’s all good…
LikeLiked by 1 person
ooooooooooooook then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And there’s always the trust mussels shells. Stuff on the half shell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouch!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This post caused me to wonder which came first, toilet paper or bidet. Turns out the bidet, which means “little horse” in French, was invented by the French in the late 17th century, but never made much of a splash in America. You’d think the American hoi polloi before the invention of tp could’ve afforded a bidet in their outhouses, but the poor without houses had no choice. The point is that the well-to-do were just as behind the times as the masses.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Little horse?
That makes absolutely no sense…
🤣
LikeLike
According to Wikipedia, it derives from having to straddle the bidet to use it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah.
Gives a whole new meaning to saddle sores…
😉
LikeLike
Make that “the American hoity-toity” instead of “American hoi polio” — I got the masses mixed up with the asses.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A common mistake these days…
😈
LikeLike
“…never made much of a splash…”
LikeLike
As the use of the Sears Catalog reminds us Dr. Gayetty didn’t invent toilet paper; he greatly improved on an existing idea, which is impressive in itself.
Oddly enough in all my years of Latin classes I never did learn about tersoria, although in the first month of my first class I learned the word “scortum”, meaning “prostitute”, and that it was a neuter noun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadly, the tersorium was left out of my Latin class curriculum as well. Shame, that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
… thought it over, and decided that I would have to go with the wild animals too …
… I am going to go with the idea that the tersoriums were single use items.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry to burst your bubble but….
“The tersorium was shared by people using public latrines. To clean the sponge, they simply washed it in a bucket with water and salt or vinegar.[2] This became a breeding ground for bacteria, causing the spread of disease in the latrine”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am going to try and forget that before dinner …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah. Good luck with that….
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okay, time for it–has the Marine you live with ever told you how a Marine gets through a whole enlistment with ONE roll of toilet paper?!?!?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No.
And I don’t want to know….!
LikeLike
With one post, you’ve ruined my love of historical romances. Now I’ll be wondering about hygiene of lords and ladies of the 1800 and their stench instead of their romance. 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The gratitude I feel towards good ole Joseph is great. An interesting and rather horrifying read. And I’m with you, I’ll take the lion please!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does make you appreciate our modern conveniences !
LikeLike
I am so glad we stumbled across one another. This post just made my day… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ditto! To the stumbling…
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet you can get a tersorium on Etsy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do have a girlfriend with a birthday this month… wonder if it comes in pink?
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would only be pink for the first use I’m thinking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I meant the stick. Geesh… can you at least try to be serious.
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not even for a second, and depending on how aggressive she is the stick might not be pink either. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Take it from me, if you use apple cider vinegar in your sponge, the horses WILL follow you around…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to know…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember some sketches from Horrible Histories mentioning this… hilarious! Great post 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Horrible Histories sounds perfect.
😉
LikeLike