I don't know much about the topic, either, except that the '**** collector' referred to earlier was called gong farmer in England.

And the reason that garderobe became wardrobe is because people would store clothing in the garderobe because the odor repelled moths.

I didn't take the time to read it yet, but Google turned up an article might be of interest:
http://www.sewerhistory.org/articles...1/article1.pdf

"Sewerage in Ancient and Mediaeval Times"