8. A useless invention
oilet paper roll patent, the U.S., 1891.
The first mentions of toilet paper are found in China in the 6th century. Europeans used other methods for many centuries: wool, leaves, sand, rags, moss, and even shells. Printing in the 19th century led to people using cheap books and newspapers as toilet paper.
The toilet paper we know today — toilet paper rolls — appeared at the end of the 19th century. In the USSR, the production of toilet paper started only in 1969. At first, it wasn’t widely popular. The citizens thought that it was a waste of money to buy special paper when they could use regular newspaper.
A campaign sponsored by the government influenced the population, so they actively started buying this new product which soon led to its scarcity.