It was first used in New York City in 1857, and the price was 50¢ for 500 sheets. What was it?

In 1857, New York City inventor Joseph Gayetty introduced the first commercially packaged bathroom tissue. Marketed as "Gayetty's Medicated Paper," it consisted of flat, aloe-infused manila hemp sheets sold in packs of 500 for 50 cents. Gayetty was so proud of his invention that he had his own name watermarked on every sheet. Despite his efforts, the product was largely a commercial failure. Most Americans at the time were not accustomed to paying for something they could get for free.

Before dedicated hygiene paper became common, people used a wide variety of materials. Depending on location, wealth, and era, this could include anything from leaves, grass, and corncobs to repurposed pages from newspapers or catalogs like the popular Sears Roebuck. The wealthy in ancient Rome used wool and rosewater, but for the average person, a specific product for this purpose was an unnecessary luxury.

It wasn't until the 1890s that the concept truly began to catch on, thanks to the Scott Paper Company's introduction of paper on a perforated roll. Even then, its adoption was slow. The Victorian-era public was often too embarrassed to ask for the product by name at a general store, so marketing was discreet. The convenience of the roll eventually won out, making it a household staple and rendering Gayetty's flat sheets a historical footnote.