To answer the question, “Who invented the flush toilet?” we first have to define what a flush toilet actually is. A flush toilet is a small toilet which utilizes water to flush away bodily waste, most commonly from the toilet, thereby keeping a relatively clean separation between your bodily waste and the soil on which you sit or stand. Typically, flush toilets are made for squatting or for sitting, in the case of individual flush toilets.
The two main types of these toilets are the vertical flushing and the horizontal flushing toilet. In a vertical flush toilet, the bowl of the toilet seat is arranged vertically, with the water tank situated at the bottom of the seat. This tank can hold as much as ten gallons of water, which when flushing uses up eight quarts of water, leaving a lot of water left in the toilet. The tank is not visible, making it very functional, but rather tucked away out of sight behind the toilet seat. This tank has a strainer on the inside of it to prevent solid wastes from seeping into the bowl of the toilet. The strainer also catches any bits of waste before they can get stuck in the strainer, before the water is squirted over the bowl of the toilet and flushed away.
The other type of toilet is the horizontal flushing toilet, where the toilet seat is horizontal, instead of vertical. With this type of toilet, there is an open end at the top of the toilet seat, allowing water to flow down to the bowl of the toilet. Because of the open end at the top of the seat, a lot of water is wasted each flush, but it’s much more convenient than having to reach over and grab a water bottle. This type of toilet also allows you to sit down and relax, since the water doesn’t have to squirt over your head. There is usually a lever that allows you to set the level of the water as well.