A closer look
Because apparently, wiping your backside used to require an extreme pain tolerance. When commercial toilet paper was first mass-produced in the late 19th century, the manufacturing process was incredibly primitive. The paper was rough, unbleached, and frequently contained painful wood splinters. It wasn't until 1935 that the Northern Tissue company proudly advertised a 'splinter-free' bathroom tissue, acting as if not getting impaled in your most sensitive regions was a luxurious technological breakthrough. Before that, you basically gambled with every trip to the outhouse.
