The modern toilet is one of humanity's greatest inventions, solving countless health problems. If you think about it, there are few useful devices in the world that everyone needs without exception.

Despite this, millions of people still lack access to toilets, forcing them to relieve themselves in less than hygienic conditions. In this article, we will show how toilets have changed over the millennia and shed light on the pressing concerns of the 11th century.

A little toilet history

The solution to hygiene has always caused great problems throughout history. The first people did their business wherever the stimulus came to them. In the absence of a permanent residence, there were naturally no proper toilets. The first attempts were inspired by the smells associated with a settled lifestyle.

Archaeological finds show that latrine-like structures existed in ancient Mesopotamia, which channeled waste through canals to irrigation works and from there to farmland.

In Roman times, public latrines served the people, where wet sponges filled the toilet The role of paper. We are probably all familiar with medieval customs. Citizens simply threw the contents of their chamber pots into the street.

The English we use today toilet-was developed in the 16th century by Sir John Harington. The water closet was so popular with Queen Elizabeth that she immediately had it installed in her palace. However, it was a long time before it became widely used.

What does World Toilet Day mean and what is its role?

The World Toilet Organization, which has roots in Asia, first organized World Toilet Day in 2001. The UN organized international campaigns around it in 2013 and embraced the event. The purpose of World Toilet Day is to draw attention to the terrible hygiene conditions and lack of toilets in certain parts of the world.

Although the situation may not seem serious at first glance, inadequate sanitation conditions are endangering the lives of millions. In 2017, the World Health Organization, together with UNICEF, prepared a report on the global sanitation crisis. The document provided compelling data.

• Nearly 4.5 billion of the 7 billion people do not have their own toilet.

• 862 million people on Earth don't even have access to a toilet on a daily basis.

• Of the world's total population, 1.8 billion people are forced to consume drinking water contaminated with sewage.

• It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people die every year due to poor sanitation conditions. Some estimates suggest that someone dies every twenty seconds.

• The countries most at risk are located in the poorer regions of South Asia and Africa.

Opposite worlds

In developed countries, there are an average of 1.5 toilets per person, but it is not uncommon for a household to have 2-3 toilets. Wealthy societies are generally unaware of the situation in the poorer parts of the world, even though the problem can only be solved by working together.

Moreover, not only the lack of toilets, but also the disposal of sewage causes many problems. 80% of the wastewater generated is still released into the environment without treatment, which can lead to the development of potential infections.

Experts see the solution in building systems that can help treat human waste before it reaches freshwater. But this would require a lot of money and real cooperation, especially on a global scale. Perhaps world leaders will be able to devote time and energy to this in the future.

The official World Toilet Day is celebrated on November 19th every year.