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hpr3048 :: Alternatives to toilet paper

A non-satirical and non-sarcastic review of alternatives to toilet paper.

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Hosted by Klaatu on Wednesday, 2020-04-08 is flagged as Explicit and is released under a CC-BY-SA license.
hygiene. 3.
The show is available on the Internet Archive at: https://archive.org/details/hpr3048

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Duration: 00:11:42

Health and Healthcare.

A open series about Health and Healthcare

In some countries, people seem to be legitimately concerned about the availability of toilet paper. This episode offers alternatives to toilet paper in the hope of relieving people of additional stress around hygiene.

This is not a joke episode and contains no offensive language, but it is about a potentially sensitive subject, so it has been marked explicit as a precaution.

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Comment #1 posted on 2020-04-08 15:06:31 by mcnalu

The affected episode

Toilet paper really is an odd invention. I believe there was a time when it was first marketed that the public thought it vaguely disgusting, and as you suggest, an unnecessary luxury.

One plausible explanation for the surge in toilet paper purchase is that in countries experiencing some form of lock down, more people work at home hence the demand from toilet paper moves from office wholesalers to retail shops and the supply chain takes time to adapt. In the mean time shelves will be empty.

There's a ruined Roman bath house near me situated on the Antonine Wall (Scotland). It has a latrine and evidence suggests they used moss to clean regio affectus.

Comment #2 posted on 2020-04-09 11:31:08 by Bookewyrmm

A word of caution

I am not a health care worker, nor do I play one on TV. However I have worked in health care IT for 10 years. The word of caution I would inject, is in regards to the option of using a bare hand to clean the affected area. I would say this is a last resort substitute, due to the potential health risks associated with it. Hepatitis A is spread through fecal matter in food. If one is not supremely carefully, ie: wash thoroughly ( more than a minute) and then sanitize, you can spread Hep A to your self and your loved ones very easily.

Fortunately, Hep A is not fatal, mostly just uncomfortable, with a mild fever that passes and diarrhea for up to 30 days or so.

Comment #3 posted on 2020-04-21 04:54:35 by tuturto

Speaking of romans

Romans also used tersorium or xylospongium, which is sea sponge tied on a stick. Those were in communal use and just rinsed in a bucket of water and vinegar in between of uses.

Also, a big portion of humanity uses hands (or rather a hand and water) to clean themselves and actually consider using toilet paper disgusting as it can't clean as well as water can. Different cultures and all that.

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