Chamblee54

01. The film “Psycho” was the first movie to show a toilet flushing – the scene caused an inpouring of complaints about indecency.
02. Pomegranates studded with cloves were used as the first attempt at making toilet air-freshner.
03. In a 1992 survey, British public toilets were voted the worst in the world. Following quickly behind were Thailand, Greece, and France.
04. Hermann Goering refused to use regulation toilet paper – instead he bought soft white handkerchiefs in bulk and used them.
05. Over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind. 3 out of 4 people have the flap in the front.
06. King George II of Great Britain died falling off a toilet on the 25th of October 1760.
07. The average person spends three whole years of their life sitting on the toilet.
08. The first toilet cubicle in a row is the least used. (and consequently cleanest)
09. An estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to proper toilet facilities, particularly in rural areas of China and India.
10. The Roman army didn’t have toilet paper. They used a water soaked sponge on the end of a stick.
11. The toilet is flushed more times during the super bowl halftime than at any time during the year.
12. 90% of pharmaceuticals taken by people are eliminated through urination. Therefore our sewer systems contain heavy doses of drugs. A recent study by the EPA has found fish containing trace amounts of estrogen, cholesterol-lowering drugs, pain relievers, antibiotics, caffeine and even anti-depressants. Modern urine is expensive.
13. Lack of suitable toilets and sanitation kills approximately 1.8 million people a year.
14. The toilet handle in a public restroom can have up to 40,000 germs per square inch.
15. While he didn’t invent the toilet, Thomas Crapper perfected the siphon flush system we use today. He was born in the village of Thorne – which is an anagram of throne.
Add.1-An amusing feature of the water closet is the tendency of people to die there. Elvis comes to mind immediately. There is some debate about this, as some say he was stricken on the throne, fell off, and perished on the floor. Judy Garland is also known to have met her maker while doing number two. Add.2- It seems that this is a real problem with older people that have constipation issues. When you are in delivery mode, and you push too hard, you can cause something called Valsalva’s maneuver. To make a long story short, all that squeezing can pinch the arteries going into the heart. This is not good for you. According to a commenter here, it is .06% of all deaths.
This is a repost from 2009, based on a Listserve article, 15 Fascinating Facts About Toilets. LS continues to produce fresh content in 2025. Pictures today are from The Library of Congress. The social media picture was taken January 7, 1911. “Bris (Briscoe Robotham) Lord, outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics”. … Selah