The Significance of Plumbing Through Civilization
As societies evolved, so did plumbing. A study on plumbing system would not be complete without a brief overview of the role played by plumbing through civilization.
Plumbing is a skilled trade that works with pipes, tubing, and plumbing fixtures. The word plumbing is derived from the Latin word for lead, plumbum. Lead pipes were used back in the ancient Roman times to distribute water and removal of wastes. The Persians, Indians, and Chinese were also known to have rudimentary plumbing systems. However, only the very rich such as the rulers, royalties or aristocrats enjoyed these earliest examples of indoor plumbing in their palaces.
Privileges such as this were never benefited by the common people. Archaeologists in China recently unearthed a 2,000 year old toilet in a tomb built for an emperor. In ancient times, the Chinese believed that the emperors were of divine origin and certain objects and necessities were included in his tomb to be enjoyed in the afterlife.
However, there were very little improvements in plumbing methods and materials for centuries. A relative of Queen Elizabeth manufactured a privy or watercloset that would provide the Queen Mother some privacy, but he became a laughing stock as a result of his efforts. It was not until after two centuries when more serious attempts would be made on plumbing systems.
Thomas Crapper, a London plumber in the 19th century was best known to have invented the flush toilet. Although other men have actually done the real inventing before him, Crapper was diligent to have claimed several patents on several plumbing invention. One of which is the flush toilet. He headed a shop that produced toilets and in World War I, American soldiers in England saw the name of Crapper’s shops on toilets around London. They coined the term “crapper”, and this name has stuck especially in the military.
The role played by plumbing through civilization became prominent and of wide use as public sanitation, the need for potable water, the proper elimination of waste and the regular habit of bathing became common in the mid 19th century with the discovery of the link between unsanitary conditions and diseases. The relationship of microbes and association with certain diseases were established in the works of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch. Diseases had been killing people since the dawn of time. Changes in sanitary practices minimized the spread of disease by pathogens and paved the way to the development of plumbing systems.
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Plumbing was certainly a growth industry during that Golden age when the civilized world was converting from no plumbing to full plumbing. Between the years of 1928 and 1954, the sales of plumbing products and water heating equipment went from 498 million dollars a year to a staggering 2.33 billion dollars a year. Now, potable or safe water is required by law in most developed nations. Proper sanitation and the safe removal of waste is the accepted norm. Most communities have adapted plumbing codes to protect the public health and safety. Plumbing has become a symbol of civilization, and laws generally require that plumbing systems be installed under the supervision of a licensed plumber.