State of Plumbing is state of Civilization!

[Deleted User]

Found this very cool page on the web that ties plumbers with civility and a growing middle class. Many quotes from P&M and such magazines. I have pasted a small quote from the page http://www.kitco.com/ind/Vaughn/mar112005.html below:


Western civilization sank into a squalor of ignorance & disease that lasted as long as the Roman Empire, AND WASN'T COMPLETELY OVERCOME UNTIL THE 20TH CENTURY." The History of Plumbing & Its Meaning Today, Plumbing & Mechanical, 1998

Some might dispute the actual closure date for the end of this dark blight on mankind's history. But what I consider to be the common denominator & hallmark defining a true civilized society is the availability of clean running water, proper sanitation facilities & well designed sewage systems for its cities.

"The ancient Romans were the best plumbers who ever lived…" "Rome's sanitary drainage systems were the best the world had seen…" "IT IS STARTLING TO REALIZE THAT MANY SENIOR CITIZENS (YES, IN THE US OF A) LIVING TODAY GREW UP WITHOUT INDOOR PLUMBING." The History of Plumbing & Its Meaning Today, Plumbing & Mechanical, 7-13-2000

Polite society & the general public can live quite well & comfortably without electricity & the internal combustion engine, but not without clean running water & adequately designed plumbing systems for all its people.

Take away the component of clean running water & proper plumbing & all you have in my humble opinion is a barbaric & primitive culture. And it is an unfortunate fact that most European & American cites even 200 years ago did not posses even the most rudiment level of basic plumbing & sewage systems that the ancients possessed over 1,500 years ago.

"A 1,500-year gap exists between the advances of the ancient world and our modern era of sanitation." By Jim Olsztynski, A History Of Plumbing Engineering, 6-9-2000