The book discusses the history of toilet training from a cross-cultural, psychological and behavioral perspective.
The focal point are the dangers of the delayed toilet training in the West probably caused by the availability in disposable nappies and the American push for their use. This is affecting equally non-western countries that trained their babies traditionally very early - often from just a few months of age - but these countries, or the parents in these countries who have access and funds for disposables - are abandoning their traditional practices and are following and copying what is being done in the West hoping that this will make them more westernized and more sophisticate. They obviously are not aware of the dangers of disposable nappies - especially for boys - who may later develop testicular cancer or be infertile.