Chamber pot
A chamber pot (also a chamberpot,
a jordan,[1]
a jerry, a po (possibly from French:
pot de chambre), a piss pot, a potty, or a thunder pot)
is a bowl-shaped container with a handle, and often a lid, kept in the bedroom
under a bed or in the cabinet of a nightstand
and generally used as a toilet at night. In Victorian
times, some chamber pots would be built into a cabinet with a closable cover.
History
Chamber pots were used in ancient Greece
at least since the 6th century BC and were known under different names: ἀμίς (amis),[2]
οὐράνη (ouranē)[3]
and οὐρητρίς (ourētris,[4]
from οὖρον - ouron, "urine"[5]),
σκωραμίς / (skōramis), χερνίβιον (chernibion).[6]
The introduction of indoor toilets
started to displace chamber pots in the 19th century but such pots were in
common use until the mid-20th century.
Chamber pots continue in use today in countries lacking indoor plumbing such as rural areas of
China, and have been redesigned as the bedpan for use with the very ill.
In North America
and the UK, the term "potty" is often used when discussing the toilet with small children, such as during
potty training. It is also usually used to refer to the small,
toilet-shaped devices made especially for potty training, which are similar to
chamber pots. These "potties" are generally a large plastic bowl with
an ergonomically-designed back and front to protect against splashes. They may
have a built-in handle or grasp at the back to allow emptying and a non-slip
bottom to prevent the child from sliding while in use. Some are given bright
colours such as pink, red, blue and purple (generally depending on the child's
gender), and some sort of cartoon. In many cases they are used since it is
difficult for children to get up onto the normal toilet; in addition the larger
opening in the regular toilet is much too large for a child to sit over
comfortably and not fall in without some type of aid. Their size means they can
be packed away in a bag for days out or camping with young children, and can be
placed near or under beds for sufferers of nocturia
or some other form of incontinence.
In the Philippines,
chamber pots are used as urinals and are commonly called Orinola in most
Philippine languages, such as Tagalog
and Cebuano[7]
In Korea, chamber pots are referred to as yogang
(요강), literally translating to
"John River". They were commonly used by people who did not have
indoor plumbing to avoid the cold elements during the winter months and are
commonly used in North Korea to this day.
See
also
The basic wiki link on the subject can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_pot
The intent is to preclude waste water diseases like cholera or typhoid
fever. And one does not "need" a fancy chamber pot. A simple larger can
with some kind of handle does the job just fine, too. Mostly using one means
if having to "go" at night, then a chamber pot is one way to avoid
a trip to the outhouse until later in the day when it does have to be dumped.
Using a chamber pot is often a cold season method.
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