Who first put toilet paper on a roll, in perforated sheets?

Although Joseph Gayetty first invented paper specifically for use after defecation, brothers Clarence and E. Irvin Scott put perforated toilet paper on a roll. Then, they convinced hotels and drugstores to sell the item.

Gayetty’s product, made of splinter-filled hemp and treated with aloe, was sold as hemorrhoid medication and reached a specific market, but wider appeal was lacking in the United States, as most Americans of the day were embarrassed to discuss bodily functions or be seen purchasing a product designed solely to wipe up. Most preferred to use catalogues (which they received free of charge) and newspapers, as incognito cleaning methods.

What really put rolled toilet paper on a marketing roll was the plumbing technology of the late 1800’s. Indoor plumbing featuring flush toilets was being built into new houses as a matter of course. The best material for use in these systems was thin, soft, flushable paper that did not clog the pipes as much or as badly.

The Scott brothers finally took full and proper credit for their invention in 1902. Other manufacturers then also became flush with the sale of toilet paper.