Toilet

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(10/27/2010)

A toilet is a plumbing fixture primarily intended for the disposal of human excreta: urine and fecal matter. Additionally, vomit and menstrual waste are sometimes disposed of in toilets in some societies. The word toilet describes the fixture and, especially in British English, the room containing the fixture. In American English, the latter is euphemistically called a restroom or bathroom. The latter term often describes a room that also contains a bath tub. A room with only a toilet and a sink is sometimes called a half-bathroom, a half bath, or a powder room.

There are two basic types of modern toilets: the dry toilet and the wet (flush) toilet, the latter being the most commonly known and producer of blackwater. The dry toilet needs no plumbing for water input or evacuation, but is often coupled with a ventilation system.

Prior to the introduction of modern flush toilets, most human waste disposal took place outdoors in outhouses or latrines. However, the ancient cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, e.g., Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, which are located in present day India and Pakistan, had flush toilets attached to a sophisticated sewage system ¡ªand other forms of toilets were used both in the time of the Romans and Egyptians as well.[4] Although a precursor to the modern flush toilet system was designed in 1596 by John Harington,the toilet did not enter into widespread use until the late nineteenth century, when it was adopted in English upper class residences.

Family restrooms
Another recent development in public toilets is the gender-neutral toilet or "family restroom". These areas contain multiple stalls designed for maximum privacy and a communal washing area for use by both genders. The family restroom is designed so that a parent with a young child of the opposite gender can take the child into the restroom without the concerns associated with single-gender restrooms. Family restrooms have started appearing in newly-built sports stadiums, amusement parks, shopping malls, and major museums.

Toilets in public transport
An aircraft lavatory in the economy class.See also: Passenger train toilets
There are usually toilets in airliners, regional rail trains, and often in long-distance buses and ferries, but not in metros, school buses, trams, and other buses. Many newer trains have a waste reservoir, but, in older trains and still in some newer ones, the contents simply fall on the tracks, hence the notice which appears in many train toilets: "Please do not flush while the train is standing at a station".

Lavatories on aircraft consist of a sink, a waste bin, and a toilet. On many newer aircraft the toilet does not flush with water; rather, suction removes the waste into a collection bin below cabin level. This type is generically known as a vacuum lavatory.