HF01-08 THE ART OF CLEANLINESS: URINE AND LAUNDRY?

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023HF01-08 THE ART OF CLEANLINESS: URINE AND LAUNDRY? Maunil Patel Maunil PatelMaunil Patel More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003243.08AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: For thousands of years, civilization found new and eccentric ways to make use of resources that were around them. A small group of people in ancient Rome who called themselves fullers did exactly that by finding a use for urine that became critical to societal constructs. The Romans exemplified what it means to have good hygiene in high society. They created an unorthodox way to use urine to clean their clothing. METHODS: A great level of interest in ancient Roman lifestyle sparked an investigation in the function of fullonicas in Roman society. Justification of the text comes from ancient Roman inscriptions and literature review. RESULTS: Washers and scourers in ancient Rome were called Fullers. They created fullonicas which are very similar to modern day laundromats. The concept of soap was non-existent at that time, so fullers relied on using urine to clean the tunics and stoals of those who belonged to the noble class. Fullonicas got abundant amounts of urine by having the poor sit on various street corners in town and collect urine from the citizens in jars. Once the jars were full, they would carry the jar to the nearest fullonica; being extra careful to not spill the jar on themselves. Once the urine was delivered, the cleaning process begins. Cleaning consisted of washing the clothes in a mixture of water, alkali metals, and urine; Ammonia was the active ingredient in this process which naturally came from stagnant urine. Next, the fullers would stomp on the clothes repeatedly until all the dirt, stains and oils were scrubbed off; this was called saltus fullonicus or the fullers jump. Lastly, the clothes would be rinsed with water and brushed with wool or the skin of a hedgehog. Fullonicas were a critical part in ancient Rome since many articles of clothing that were worn by the kings, queens, and clergy were all cleaned in the same manner. This process of cleaning resulted in glistening white clothing that were worn by the upper-class Romans. CONCLUSIONS: Throughout history, urine was used in a variety of ways in many aspects of life. Urology pertains to the storage and flow of urine, and it is not used for marketable purposes. Fullers of ancient Rome prided themselves on the unorthodox use of urine to keep the clothes of high-ranking nobles in Roman society clean. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e258 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Maunil Patel More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...