French "Squatter" toilet

A squat toilet is a toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting. There are several types of squat toilets, but they all consist essentially of a hole in the ground. The only exception is a "pedestal" squat toilet (pictured here), which is the same height as a standard western toilet. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1295x1109, 118 KB) Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1295x1109, 118 KB) Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... For other uses, see Toilet (disambiguation). ...

Types of squat toilets

• The squat toilets (known as alaturka (alla turca) in Turkey or Iranian Toilet in Iran,in contrast to alafranga (alla franca) flush toilets) where the user puts his or her feet on foot rests; the user faces the entrance to the cubicle; it is prevalent in Turkey where flush toilets are now getting more in use for households and can still be found in some public buildings and at motorway services in France, Italy, Balkans and, more often, in the former USSR. In India such a toilet is widely used and is referred to as the Indian water closet or the Jodhpur Pan in contrast with the European water closet or EWC or the Western style of toilet. It is also used in the Middle East and can be found in rural areas of Greece and Italy. It is also very common in Iran and prevalent throughout most of South East Asia.
• The Japanese toilet is shaped differently, and the user faces the flush apparatus.
• The Thai toilet is a form of squat toilet with a spiral-shaped bowl.

Squat toilets are not like normal toilets and urinals, and can be a shock to people who are used to a sit-down type toilet, and may be difficult to use for the unwary, especially if on trains or ships. Many Britons, having encountered the devices in France and other countries, refer to them euphemistically as "stand and deliver" toilets, a reference to the phrase associated with highwaymen. Close coupled cistern type flushing toilet. ... The household is the basic unit of analysis in many microeconomic and government models. ... Motorway symbol in UK, France and Ireland. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... A twin-nozzled electronic bidet unit built into a toilet seat There are three types of toilets commonly found in Japan. ... A salad in a bowl sits next to a small pie in a pie dish Chawan, drinking bowls used in a Japanese tea ceremony Bowls used as construction tools in contemporary India. ... A urinal is a specialized toilet designed to be used only for urination, not defecation, and almost always by a standing male. ... For other uses, see Train (disambiguation). ... Italian Full rigged ship Amerigo Vespucci in New York Harbor, 1976 A ship is a large watercraft capable of offshore navigation. ... Languages Cornish, Dgèrnésiais, English, French, Irish, Jèrriais, Manx, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Llanito Religions Anglican, Presbyterianism, Roman Catholicism - Related ethnic groups British-Americans, Anglo-Celtic Australian, Anglo-African, Belongers, English Canadians, Channel Islanders, Cornish, English, Anglo-Irish, Ulster-Scots, Irish, Manx, New Zealand European, Scottish, Welsh British... Folk image of a mounted highwayman Highwayman was a term used particularly in Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries to describe robbers who targeted people traveling by stagecoach and other modes of transport along public highways. ...

Squat toilets are not accessible to handicapped or disabled persons; to use squat toilets a person must have complete use and mobility of both their legs and arms, which would hinder many people with physical challenges.

Arguments in favor of squat toilets

A contemporary Japanese squat toilet including toilet slippers.

Proponents of squat toilets argue that: Download high resolution version (800x1066, 123 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (800x1066, 123 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A pair of open-heeled slippers. ...

• They are less expensive and easier to clean and maintain.^{[citation needed]}
• They are less vulnerable to vandalism.
• The splashing of water on the buttocks after a heavy defecation does not occur.
• They do not involve any contact between the buttocks and a potentially unsanitary surface.
• Squatting might help to build the required pressure more comfortably and quickly.^[1]
• Squatting makes elimination faster, easier and more complete.^[2]
• Elimination in squatting posture protects the nerves that control the prostate, bladder and uterus from becoming stretched and damaged.^[3]
• Squatting relaxes the puborectalis muscle which normally chokes the rectum in order to maintain continence.^[4]
• Squatting securely seals the ileocecal valve, between the colon and the small intestine. In the conventional sitting position, this valve is unsupported and often leaks during evacuation.^[5]
• For pregnant women, squatting avoids pressure on the uterus when using the toilet. Daily squatting helps prepare the mother-to-be for a more natural delivery.^[6]
• Squatting may reduce the occurrence or severity of hemorrhoids^[7] and possibly other colorectal disorders such as diverticulosis^[8] and appendicitis.^[9]

Bottom commonly refers to the human buttocks but also has other uses. ... Anatomy of the anus and rectum Defecation is the act or process by which organisms eliminate solid or semisolid waste material (feces) from the digestive tract via the anus. ... The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male mammalian reproductive system. ... In anatomy, the urinary bladder is a hollow, muscular, and distensible (or elastic) organ that sits on the pelvic floor in mammals. ... This article is about female reproductive anatomy. ... The fibers which form a sling for the rectum are named the Puborectalis or Sphincter recti. ... The rectum (from the Latin rectum intestinum, meaning straight intestine) is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: lack of content If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Large intestine. ... In biology the small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract (gut) between the stomach and the large intestine and includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... In anatomy of the digestive system, the colon (> Greek ) is the part of the intestine from the caecum to the rectum. ... Diverticulosis, otherwise known as diverticular disease, is the condition of having diverticula in the large colon which are outpocketings of the colonic mucosa and submucosa through weaknesses of muscle layers in the colon wall. ... Appendicitis (or epityphlitis) is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix[1]. While mild cases may resolve without treatment, most require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. ...

Arguments against squat toilets

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A common argument against the squat toilet is that if toilet paper is used where there is no flushing system installed, it is easy for the inexperienced user to clog the toilet. Those unfamiliar with the squat toilet should be sure to ask the location of the flushing bucket before attempting use. These buckets flush the toilets manually like a tank would. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Other criticisms include:

• Difficulty of use for the physically handicapped or inebriated.
• Possibility of slipping and making contact with the toilet, much more than would have been made by sitting on a conventional toilet.
• Potential for splattering of urine or feces on the feet.
• Potential for urine or fecal accidents with the clothes. People who are not used to squat toilets usually remove their pants and underwear completely before going.
• Potential for leg cramps, or discomfort for users having osteoarthritis.
• Potential for the development of foul odors as a result of incomplete flushing.
• Pantyhose must be lowered while using a squat toilet.
• Potential for voyeurism
• Stress on knees from squatting too deeply.

Drunkenness, in its most common usage, is the state of being intoxicated with alcohol (i. ... Cramps are unpleasant, often painful sensations caused by contraction or over shortening, usually of muscles. ... Osteoarthritis / Osteoarthrosis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, arthrosis or in more colloquial terms wear and tear), is a condition in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints, caused by wearing of the cartilage that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with tights. ... “Voyeur” redirects here. ...

Gallery

Toilet used in passenger trains of China Railway Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1360x1020, 414 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Squat toilet Qingzang railway Passenger train toilets Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital...	Squat toilet in Shanghai, China Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 1271 KB) Squatter toilet in Shanghai, China. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ...	A stainless steel squat toilet found in Hong Kong Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 269 KB)Steel squat toilet. ...	An older squat toilet Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 385 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Squat toilet Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to...
Two older adjacent squat toilets Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 346 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Squat toilet Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to...

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Squat toilet

• Health Benefits of the Natural Squatting Position
• How to use a squat toilet