Bowel movements in early 20th century literature

I don’t know if bowel movements are a significant theme in early 20th century literature, but certainly Joyce’s description of Leopold Bloom pinching off one (hope it’s not too big bring on piles again. No, just right…it was something quick and neat) marks a scatological high moment in heavy-duty literary lit.

Bloom wipes himself with a prize short story he is reading in the paper.

I wonder when toilet paper was invented.

Best, though, is plain old water, as is common here in Indonesia. Paper leaves a residual smear.* My knees can’t take the necessary squatting position, though. So a bidet comes in handy.

*Studies show that each swimmer in a public pool deposits something like .1 grams of fecal matter in the water (this doesn’t include contribution made by infants). True! You can look it up.