Modern Toilet - A Brief History

It is hard to imagine that once upon a time people used to do their 'business' in public places, or throw their 'business' out of the window or the front door. The invention of the modern toilet truly has transformed the world we live in.

When people think of the inventor of the toilet, the first name that usually springs to mind is that of Sir Thomas Crapper. Indeed Mr Crapper himself was immensely influential in the progression of the toilet, however he was not the innovator of it. There were numerous faults with the toilet system, and Sir Thomas Crapper was responsible for fixing many of these that had the Victorians perplexed for many years. The main cause of grief for many of the Victorians was how to build a flushing water closet that would efficiently and sanitarily remove waste without allowing dangerous toxins to enter.

Sir John Harrington was responsible for designing a flushing closet for Queen Elizabeth 1st in 1596. However, as there were many flaws with it, it was of no practical use for the rest of society. Many improvements needed to be made. The question of how to dispose waste sanitarily was still very much an issue. Widespread disease in London began to make people connect the unhealthy conditions they were living in and the cause of the disease. Something needed to be done, and it needed to be done fast. 

Alexander Cummings was responsible for designing a toilet in 1775, in which the water supply was brought low into the bowl, and some water remained after each flush. This water closet was an improvement to Sir John Harrington's design. His new design had it's benefits. For instance, the excess water stopped the house from smelling of sewage, and also cleaned the bowl after use. On the other hand there were some serious flaws in the system. For example, the seal at the bottom of the toilet leaked and this was continually emitting sewer gases into the home. People largely underestimated  how toxic these gases could be.

Along came Mr Crapper. He can be credited for solving many of these problems with the flush system. As a plumber he opened up his shop in 1861 and began testing toilets. He made vast improvements to the water closet. For example, he invented a pull-chain system for powerful flushing, and an air tight seal between the toilet and the floor. Furthermore, he patented several venting systems for venting the sewer gas by way of a pipe through the roof.  

Now that we have examined some of the history behind the modern toilet, it will be easier to appreciate this modern day marvel next time we feel the need to do our 'business'. After all, where would we be taking our 'business' today without the ingenuity of these plumbers?

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