# Pre-Toilet Paper Civilisation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271 "2004-12-30T17:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/21 "2004-12-31T05:21:37Z")
> [@umop ap!sdn](#): > > TMI: > > Another idea might be to design a machine that applies gentle suction to the area, making toilets obsolete altogether. It could have an auto rinse. This was the theme of the story “Pruzy’s Pot,” by Theodore Sturgeon, printed in National Lampoon magazine and reprinted in “A Dirty Book.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/22 "2004-12-31T05:40:26Z")
> [@Slithy Tove](#): > > This was the theme of the story “_Pruzy’s Pot_,” by Theodore Sturgeon, printed in National Lampoon magazine and reprinted in “A Dirty Book.” Dammit, I was Googling for “Prudence’s Pot.” Great, creepy, hilarious story. _Sluuuurp._ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/23 "2004-12-31T07:40:18Z")
Questions with factual answers belong in [**General Questions**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=3). I’ll move this for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Serpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Silver\_Serpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Serpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/24 "2004-12-31T08:43:48Z")
You should check out [Siting Pretty](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/186105209X/qid=1104482776/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/103-1026094-4908640?v=glance&s=books). It’s a really interesting history of the toilet and such. But basically, sponges on stick, water, hand, Sears catalog, corn husks, etc. Check out the book tho’. It’s really interesting. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/25 "2004-12-31T17:06:06Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Which is why you don’t use you left hand for eating, touching people and things or giving and receiving gifts. So your left hand is basically useless except for cleaning your rear? How do you type? ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/26 "2004-12-31T18:54:47Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > I really wish bidets would catch on over here (North America). When I’m no longer renting, I’ll look into getting at least one installed. They really are the superior way to crap. Perhaps it is, but after a couple of beers make sure you crap in the correct bowl. ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/27 "2004-12-31T21:02:26Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > So your left hand is basically useless except for cleaning your rear? How do you type? With your right hand. Duh. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/28 "2005-01-01T20:31:54Z")
Well, I don’t know about you, but I use both hands to type. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/29 "2005-01-01T21:02:09Z")
My dad, who was from Nebraska btw, called a paper roll a “cob”. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/30 "2005-01-01T21:04:12Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Perhaps it is, but after a couple of beers make sure you crap in the correct bowl. But _before_ having a couple beers you can crap anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/31 "2005-01-01T21:23:27Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > I really wish bidets would catch on over here (North America). When I’m no longer renting, I’ll look into getting at least one installed. They really are the superior way to crap. Treat your anus to [one of these](http://easycarts.net/ecarts/terrylove/Bidet_Seats.html)–better in many ways then a traditional bidet, and you can take it with you when you move! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/32 "2005-01-01T21:30:12Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Treat your anus to [one of these](http://easycarts.net/ecarts/terrylove/Bidet_Seats.html)–better in many ways then a traditional bidet, and you can take it with you when you move! Your color choices are white or “biscuit”? Thanks for the mental picture. :o ---
**Author:** ![goenetix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7bcc69/32.png) [@goenetix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goenetix)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/33 "2005-01-02T01:04:35Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > So your left hand is basically useless except for cleaning your rear? How do you type? You are allowed to use your left hand for typing dirty words only 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/34 "2005-01-02T01:45:03Z")
It was on the old “Ask a Muslim” thread, if I recall correctly, that I learned that the left hand is used for cleansing because it is the “unholy” hand, not the other way around. In other words, the left hand is dirty because god said so, so that’s the one you use for dirty stuff. God, it seems, is _not_ a democrat. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/35 "2005-01-02T01:57:02Z")
> [@Slithy Tove](#): > > This was the theme of the story “Pruzy’s Pot,” by Theodore Sturgeon, printed in National Lampoon magazine and reprinted in “A Dirty Book.” Are there any physiological reasons why such a machine would be impractical? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271/36 "2005-01-02T02:20:24Z")
Your hand stays pretty clean. I was in India during the monsoons, and it just got too hard to keep toilet paper dry. Plus, it is expensive- almost eighty cents a roll. That is the price of a cheap meal, a longish auto rickshaw ride or half the price of a cheap hotel room. Usually I did a couple pours of water, went at it with my hand a bit, then did another rinse and washed my hands with soap. My hand usually didn’t get too dirty to begin with and it came out as clean as it started. Soap is great for, well, cleaning things. In fact, it started to feel like I got much cleaner than I did with toilet paper. Especially at the fancy places with snake-like water nozzles instead of little pitchers. I can see why they think we are dirty for using toilet paper. You also get used to eating with your left hand under the table so you arn’t even tempted to use it. People told me I was being too strict with it- you can use your hand to pick up glasses and discreetly tear chapatis and stuff. It’s totally cool to use your left hand for things that arn’t related to eating or gift giving and stuff. It’s not like an “OMG she just used her left hand!” kind of thing- but people will raise eyebrows if you start seriously mushing your food with your left hand (eating is done with the hands and in the south it involves a lot of mushing and mixing and wadding and general playing with) or you always use it for things. It was much harder for me to always pay attention to where my feet were pointing (it’s rude for your feet to face people). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-toilet-paper-civilisation/282271.md?page=1)