Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-12-21
CHICAGO HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO
ISSUE 4 NEW COMMANDMENT.
AIMED AT A BAD PRACTICE
EXPECToRATIoN IN PUBLIC PLACES
ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN.
City Anthorities Confident, That m
Ordinance Already in Effect Can
BE Made to Cover the Case
-VioIaters to Be Pros
ecuted.

Chicago Dec. 20.-The health department
will within few days issue formal no.
tice to the public prohibiting expectoration
in street cars. suburban trains, elevated
cars, public conveyances of all kinds, as
well as on the sidewalks and streets of the
city, and in railroad depots, hotels. theaters
and other places where people congregate.
1t is maintained by the health depart
ment that there is 4 provision in the
municipal code which is ample to insure
the orders enforcement, and under it vio-
lators will be prosecuted. The provision
relied upon is found in section 1913, fol-
lows:
ANY person who shall commit any in
decent. lewd or filthy act In any place in
the city shall be deemed disorderly per-
son, and upon conviction shall be fined
not less than s., or imprisoned in the house
of correction for six months, or BOTH
This section. the city authorities believe,
will cover this case. The officials take the
stand that persons cxpectoratins in public
places are guilty of Il filthy act and are
under the law punishable for diSorderly
conduct.
For several weeks tie Woman's Club, the
Civic Federation and other organizations
nave deem WORKING on tne contemplated
eXpectoration reform. officers of these as
sociations have held n number of con-
ferences with Mayor Swift and Commits
sioner of Health Kerr. Yesterday after
noon it was finally decided to take action.
Commissioner Kerr will have signs placed
In all street cars and other public convey
anceS as well as on street corners and pub
Hc places prohibiting eHpectoration. The
plan is indorSed by street railroad officials,
physicians and many prominent citizens,
who have promised to cooperate with the
city authorities in enforcing the new order.
The police department will be called upon
to arrest all persons violating the order. 1t
is announced that all offenders will be Wig
orously prosecuted by the city law depart
ment
1t is complained that the practice of indis-
criminate eXpectoration is peculiar to Chi
caSo, and, in contrast, the preventive meas
ures of New York and other Eastern cities
are pointed out. In many parts of Europe
expectoration in public places has been
prohibited by the authorities for years.
Physicians assert that many diseases, in
Guiding tuberculosis, diphtheria and all
bronchial troubles are spread from germs
in the sputa. The expectorations are evap-
GRATED and the disease germs spread broad
cast to attack persons susceptible to dis
ease.
Il have contemplated issuing such an
order for several weeks in the interest of
public health" said Commissioner Kerr
yesterday. Prominent physicians have
/ called upon me and urged that this depart
ment take steps to put a stop to the dam
gerous practice. In addition to the sani-
tary phase of the question the practice Is
filthy and should not be tolerated.
Every person arrested will be vigorously
prosecuted by. the city. 1 suppose we will
be obliged to make examples of a few per-
sons to show the public that we are in
earnest in this matter. hope that the rule
can be enforced without trouble. If it
cannot there will be trouble, as I am de-
termined to stop the practice.
"a similar rule Is now being successfully
enforced in New York and other Eastern
cities.'
DIR. NJ. o. Heckard chief of the bureau
of vital statistics of the health department,
said:
THE new order, If strictly enforced, is
bound to result in much good. The prac-
tice of indiscriminate expectoration is dan
gerous as well as filthy. Many diseases
are spread as result. Disease germs
lodge on particles of dust and are carried
everywhere. The expectorations of persons
with tuberculosis are especially dangerous.
They are filled with germs. When the
sputa dries out the germs are carried
through the air on particles of dust. Per-
sons with weak lungs breathe these germs
and tuberculosis results"