The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-04
DOUGLAS JERR0LD'S PUN.
Don't Expectorate on the Floor
if You Expect to Rate q
&. Gentleman.
The Basis Of a Reform Begun
by Two Philadelphia
Gentlemen.
ono Tells the Danger of Disease and
the Other Finds that Num-
Der Forget.

the Other Finds that Num-
Der Forget.
The Traction company will try to stop
Il, splitting ON the floors of its street-cars, :
and it is more than likely that the other :
railway companies of the city will join in !
the endeavor, says the Philadelphia Press. 4
In nearly all of the cars on the fractions c
lines. are tackled placards, containing the I
following Injunction:
oSnitting on the floor of this car is posi-
lively prohibited
short time ago the Press gave an &C ,
rount of the result of some experiments !
made by DIR. Samuel 7. Dixon. of the Uni
yersity of Pennsylvania which revealed IN
n startling manner dangers attending the :
disgusting practice of splitting Ill the street
cars. To-day DR.. Dixon gives in an inter
view very pertinent exposition OF the peril
TO which weakly constitutions are subjected
when they sit in a car whose floors are ,
tainted IN this way.
Traction people to action. A week ago ]
James L. German, general superintendent
of the company, was told by people VINO
had read Dr.. Dixon's opinions, all ABOUT !
of splitting in the street cars was assuming.
Mr. German went to looking at the floors
of the cars on his lines, and found that
many floors were covered with the saliva OF
division superintendent were instructed to
place in the cars the placards which have
appeared, On the Lancaster avenue line 1t
was found yesterday that notices to tins
effect had been tackled on each side OF the
cars The cars on the Market street, Sew
,enth and Ninth street and the other lines OF |
the company contained like notices.
Superintendent German said yesterday:
II received complaints several days ago
concerning splitting in our cars These
clamor from the car-cleaners, asserting that
the floors were being covered with expecto-
ration of tobacco chewers. So ordered
the division superintendent to nave It
stopped. The Press has undoubtedly done
great deal of good in this matter. and
probably other street car companies may
follow our action. Not very long ago all
our cars had notices prohibiting splitting on
the floor, but the placards were in some
way removed.
Il appreciate the injurious effects of
letting the cars be defled by tobacco chew
ers and others, and l shall see to it that
they shall not be hereafter. OF course, the
conductors will not be empowered to eject
the offenders, but it is my belief that very
few will be so inconsiderate as to infringe
upon our request. At least I hope not
I'VE endeavor to keep our cars in the
cleanest condition possible. Every car is
supposed to be cleaned once in two weeks
with carbolic acid and soda. Each day the
cars are swept and busted. Now, if all the
regulations are adhered to and the division
! superintendents see to the adherence the
danger of contracting diseases in our con-
will be reduced to minimum:
Dr. SeAanel e. Dixon, who, as BAG
teriolOgist, hsa~gtven much time to the hid
den dangers to public health underlying
&hn yN0S n law
at h3s pretty summer home, on the banks
of tho Schuylkill, near Paschalville. He
complimented the press upon its ea,
pressions against the pernicious habit
the sidewalks and in other pub
lie places Said DIR. Dixon: This ques
ton is Of interest to all decent people, and
lam very much pleased to see the Press
taking hold of it. For a long time it had
been matter of much curiosity, from
scientific standpoint at first as to whethe
diseases could be contracted from the ex
pectOratiOns of consumptive persons. II
satisfy myself, had constructed devic
which has enabled me to discover the grea
danger to which persons, predisposed o.
account of poor health, are subjected fror
the inhalation of disease germs arisin
from the spittle OF consumptives. ! ca
the device the germ collector in an articl
which will soon be published in one of til
medical journal.
ssThe germ collector is a rubber suctio
pipe attached to cylinder. At the base {
the cylinder is a mouth which allows al
to be admitted to it. In different parts {
the cylinder are glasses, smeared with gly
Cerine. Two chambers open into the bas
SO that air can be taken up them and dii
tributed, by careful manipulation OF II
ing the rubber tube, and allowing it to e,
pand one is able to get possession OF son
of the desired atmosphere in the cyllnde
Accordingly: when in street-cars, en-
ployed this device to capture the dusty q
mosphere in the cylinder. There the particl
in the air were caught by the glycerln
smeared cover glasses. Then was able
see whether the dust on the glasses co
tanned germs of disease, resulting from 9
pectorations on the floors of the cars
Eickly persons. -
II have taken tubercula bacilli a
separated them with bellows into the gene
atmosphere of a chamber where raDD
have been confined. In this way ma
inoculated the animals and caused dea
Sometime since I got consnmptlve
wash her teeth with toothbrush
rubbed the brush against color glass
found there tubercular baclli. Now
that brush had rubbed against too
brush used by healthful person, the lat
would certainly been lnoculated.
Now this splitting in strect-cars. IT
sputum be dried, as it does become on
floor, and inhaled by smaller animals, tn
animals, we have proved, Will contract
berculoss. And as the bacilli we lind
lungs of those animals which nave G
tracted consumption from the inhalat
of tubercular bacilli to be the one and
same disease, SO we have right to assn
that the inhalation of the bacilll OF
human family will produce tuberculosl
man.
"a few days ago got into Lancai
avenue car The conductor told me tha
cadaverous looking man had spit upon
floor early in the day. Then l used
germ collector In my laboratory fo'
on two of the color glasses tuberc'
bacilli. ! have made other experime
and have discovered that the same drea'
state of things exists in other street c
Il pity the weak when they go into
cars. Especially are the fatigued shop
- the object of my commiseration. They
predisposed to inhale the tubercular ba
arising from dried spittle, and finally
{ come consumptives. 1 really believe
4 many people contract consumption !
the street cars in this manner. Cars sh
be disinfected at least once in two we
No person should be allowed to spit on
floor. There should be no plush 81
They should be cane or wood or leather