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Origin of the modern flushable toilet (lemmy.nz)
submitted 2 years ago by TheLobotomist@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/bewowed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
31 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The first modern flushable toilet was invented in 1596 by Sir John Harrington who installed one for his godmother, Elizabeth I.

Occasionally, some brave knights would conduct sneak attacks by entering the castle via the shaft connected to the garderobe. Throughout history, there have been a number of famous people who died on the toilet. Several of them were stabbed from below while in the process of defecating.

These people include King Edmund II of England (30 November 1016), Jaromír Duke of Bohemia (4 November 1035), Godfrey IV Duke of Lower Lorraine (circa. 26-27 February 1076), Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (4 August 1306) and Uesugi Kenshin (19 April 1578).

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[-] stoy@lemmy.zip 45 points 2 years ago

I am not sure I agree with people calling this kind of toilet flushable....

[-] brbposting@sh.itjust.works 17 points 2 years ago

It’s not:

In 1596 Sir John Harington…[described] a forerunner to the modern flush toilet installed at his house at Kelston in Somerset. The design had a flush valve to let water out of the tank, and a wash-down design to empty the bowl. He installed one for his godmother Queen Elizabeth I at Richmond Palace.

Pictured in the OP are garderobes. Inside view’s something like:

[-] stoy@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 years ago

Interestingly "garderob" is the Swedish word for closet

[-] EmoDuck@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

Might be a germanic word that developed different meanings over time

[-] stoy@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 years ago

Quite possible

[-] azertyfun@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

Nah it's French, "garde robe" means "clothes[ancient french] holder[literally guard]". So literally just wardrobe.

Interesting that it became a loan word in Swedish tho, what a mindfuck. Dunno why the English borrowed it to describe toilets... I guess it does kinda look like a closet...?

[-] EmoDuck@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago

I know it's not necessarily an unknown fact but he's an ancestors of Kid Harington, aka John Snow from Game of Thrones

[-] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

No need to flush, all you need is a weekly peasant with a shovel. Very ecological!

[-] qyron@sopuli.xyz 35 points 2 years ago

Getting poked to death when taking a dump...

That has to be close to the top of sorryful ways to die.

Imagine the epitaph.

[-] Even_Adder@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 2 years ago

The poo stains never really went away.

[-] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 years ago

That stone had seen things.

[-] SonnyVabitch@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago

This was interesting to read on the toilet.

[-] Rozz@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 years ago

I'm glad you didn't get stabbed

[-] Thcdenton@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago

[-] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 17 points 2 years ago

Now this is shitposting

[-] guyrocket@kbin.social 11 points 2 years ago

If they were to design that so the waste fell into the moat then it seems like a great design.

Just don't drink out of the moat.

[-] stewie3128@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 years ago

Fish pond toilets and pig toilets are still a thing in some parts of India

[-] EmoDuck@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

In some cases they had serves who's job it was to clean the area under the pooper

Human waste can also be used in tanning leather so it might have been reused for that

[-] ramble81@lemm.ee 11 points 2 years ago

Notice that section of the wall is slightly discolored from the part to the right? You’re welcome.

[-] blazeknave@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Can't see it

[-] ivanafterall@kbin.social 8 points 2 years ago

Do the poops bounce down Plinko style? Did the poor people stand underneath?

[-] I_am_10_squirrels@beehaw.org 1 points 2 years ago

If your poop bounces, you need to reconsider your diet.

[-] watersnipje@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 years ago

I swallow a lot of chewing gum.

[-] ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

It was a pain in the winters since it was incredibly cold to use it.

[-] soviettaters@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

Don't forget Ehud, the immensely fat guy from the Bible who was stabbed while taking a dumb.

[-] stewie3128@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 years ago

I frequently take a dumb.

this post was submitted on 06 Jan 2024
206 points (94.4% liked)

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