Latrine

The word latrine can refer to a toilet or a simpler facility which is used as a toilet within a sanitation system. It can be a communal trench in the earth in a camp, a hole in the ground (pit), or more advanced designs, including pour-flush systems. Latrines are still commonly used in emergency situations, as well as in army camps.

The use of latrines was a major advance in sanitation over more basic practices such as open defecation, and helped control the spread of many diseases. Until about 1920, when better sanitation practices were adopted, many more soldiers died of disease than from wounds.

The word "latrine" is derived from the Latin lavatrina, meaning bath. It is nowadays still commonly used in the term "pit latrine". For most people, it has the connotation of something being less advanced and less hygienic than a standard toilet. It is typically used to describe communal facilities, such as the shallow-trench latrines used in emergency situations, e.g. after an earthquake, flood or other natural disaster.

Latrines are known as aphedrons in Greek. The word occurs three times in the Bible (Matthew 15:17, Mark 7:19 and Daniel 2:5) and was unknown in classical texts.

Many forms of latrine technology have been used, from very simple to more complex. The more sophisticated the system, the more likely that the term "toilet" is used instead of "latrine".

A pit latrine is a simple and inexpensive toilet, minimally defined as a hole (pit) in the ground. More sophisticated pit latrines may include a floor plate, or ventilation to reduce odor and fly and mosquito breeding (called ventilated improved pit latrine or "VIP latrine"). Many military units, if intended for extended use, place basic shelters and seating over the pits. A pit is typically sited well away from any water sources to minimize possible contamination. After prolonged use, a pit is typically buried.

Other types of pit latrines may include the Reed Odourless Earth Closet, the arborloo or treebog (very simple types of composting toilet), or the twin pit pour-flush pit latrine, popularized by Sulabh International.

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Wikipedia