lived pretty well? we survived as a biological population, but life was pretty short - average life spans were (off the top of my head) in the 40s or 50s, infant mortality was routine, and death from infectious diseases quite common. Urban environments exacerbated these conditions. It took centuries for Europe to recover from the Black Plague(s).

This does drift away from the original thread. I will reserve the water in my tank, flush by pouring water directly into the bowl, and when in doubt, boil the water. I like tea anyway.