Originally Posted by rowan

While we're on the subject of germs and touching things, something I occasionally ponder while stuck on the can.....

Before toilet paper was invented, what did people wipe with?

Did they even wipe at all?

A teacher once told me some story about Indians wiping their backside with their bare hand, so it was considered very bad manners to offer that hand to shake when meeting someone. I have no idea if it's true.