The modern toilet is one of mankind's greatest inventions, which is a solution to countless health problems. If you think about it, there are few such useful structures in the world, which everyone without exception needs.

Nevertheless, even today, their number can be estimated at several million, who do not have a toilet, so they are forced to defecate in less hygienic conditions. We present it in this article, how toilets have changed over the millennia and we shed light on the XI. to the pressing problems of the century.

A little toilet history

The solution to hygiene has always caused great problems throughout history. The first people still did their work there, where the stimulus hit them. In the absence of a permanent place of residence, there were, by definition, no adequate toilets. The first attempts were prompted by the smells associated with a settled lifestyle.

According to the evidence of archaeological finds, structures similar to shadow chairs already existed in ancient Mesopotamia, which carry the excrement through the sewers into the irrigation works, and from there it was led to the farmlands.

In Roman times, public latrines served the people, where wet sponges filled the WC the role of paper. Medieval customs are probably well known to all of us. Citizens simply threw the contents of their nightstands into the street.

The English used today WC-t a 16. It was developed in the 19th century by Sir John Harington. The water closet was so popular with Queen Elizabeth, that he immediately installed it in his palace. However, it had to wait a long time before it became more widespread.

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

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

Although for the first reading, the situation cannot seem serious, however, the inadequate cleanliness conditions endanger the lives of millions. 2017-In 2008, the World Health Organization and UNICEF prepared a report on the hygiene crisis prevailing in the world. Witness data was provided in the document.

• A 7 out of a billion people 4,5 billions do not have their own toilets.

• On the ground 862 million people have no chance to get near a toilet on a daily basis.

• Of the entire population of the world 1.8 billions are forced to drink drinking water contaminated with sewage.

• It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people die every year due to poor health conditions. It is included in some data, 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, on average per person 1,5 WC jut, but it is not a rare phenomenon either, if within a household 2-3 There is also a toilet. Rich societies usually have no idea about the situation in the poorer part of the world, and the problem could only be solved by joint efforts.

Moreover, it is not only the lack of toilets, but the drainage of waste water also causes a lot of problems. To this day, 80% of the generated wastewater is discharged into nature without treatment, which can lead to potential infections.

Specialists see the solution in building such systems, which can help in the treatment of human excreta, before they enter freshwater. However, this would require a lot of money and real cooperation, namely at global levels. Perhaps world leaders will be able to devote time and energy to this in the future.

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