Lant Explained

Lant is aged urine. The term comes from Old English, which referred to urine.^[1] Collected urine was put aside to ferment until used for its chemical content in many pre-industrial processes, such as cleaning and production.^[2]

History

Because of its ammonium content, lant was most commonly used for floor cleaning and laundry. According to early housekeeping guides, bedpans would be collected by one of the younger male servants and put away to ferment to a mild caustic before use.

In larger cottage industries, lant was used in wool-processing^[3] and as a source of potassium nitrate for black powder. In times of urgent need and in districts where these were the chief industries, the whole town was expected to contribute to its supply.

References

• Ray, John (1691) North Country Words
• Addy, Sidney (1888) Glossary of Sheffield Words, p.164
• Book: Kacirk, Jeffrey . Forgotten English . New York . William Morrow & Co . 1997 . 0-688-15018-7 .
• Book: Ray, John . A Collection of English Words Not Generally used, with their Significations and Original, in two Alphabetical Catalogues, The One Of such as are proper to the Northern, the other to the Southern Counties . London . Christopher Wilkinson . 1691 . No ISBN.
• Kelly, John F. "The Urine Cure and Other Curious Medical Treatments" Hippocrates Magazine. (May/June 1988) By Hercules
• Book: Horan, Julie L. . The Porcelain God – A Social History of the Toilet . Secaucus, New Jersey . A Birch Lane Press Book . 1996 . 96 . 1-55972-346-7 .
• Book: Grose, Francis . A Provincial Glossary with a Collection of Local Proverbs and Popular Superstitions . London . S. Hooper . 1787.

Further reading

• Web site: Winterthur Program in American Material Culture . Lant: The Forgotten Resource . University of Delaware . Winterthur Program in American Material Culture . 17 December 2023.

Notes and References

1. Book: Johnson, Samuel. A Dictionary of the English Language: In which the Words are Deduced from Their Originals .... 1827. Longman, rees, orme. 15. en.
2. Book: Fownes, George. Elementary Chemistry, Theoretical and Practical. 1853. Blanchard and Lea. 513. en.
3. Book: Hummel, J. J. (John James). The dyeing of textile fabrics. 1898. London [etc.] New York, Cassell and company, limited. Harvard University. 92.