El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-03-09
A THREATENING EVIL.


called to the alarming increase of ex-
pectOrat on, both on the streets and in
doors. The reputation of the city as a
health resort on account of it's un-
surpassed climate has brought in more
invalids suffering from pulmonary
complaints from different parts of the
United States than ever before; and the
entire absence of sanitary rules gov
erning the conduct of such patients is
bringing about a condition of affairs
that is, at least. threatening.
Expe ctorstion has bet ONE general.
and the carelessness exhibited by a
great plumber of invalids is something
more than merely reprehensible,
while the utter disregard by not a
few of all decency and consideration
for the sensi Utilities to say nothing of
the rights of other--isaboth shameful
and slckening. There care consump-
tives who do not hesitate a moment to
yank up great chunks of their diseased
and Rangrenous lungs in public and
spew the same all over the sidewalk
in a nasty, noisome, poisonous mess,
and repeat the performance every half
hour that they'are on the streets. They
do not stop to realize that this grue-
some mess is alive with infectious mat
ter that only waits for the wind to dry
it ere being carried hither and thither
and distributed all over the neighbor-
hood to infect and disc 4se the healthy
lung tissue of Innocent people. More
over, adlesaunoOnscious'y gather up
the horrid stuff on their skirts
and carry it into their homes,
where on drying, the seeds of
disease are breathed By children with
r suits that might be exp scted under
complaint in the past in this particular
respect, and ladies have often called
the attention OF newspaper men to the
alarming condition of things. Con-
sumptives have been requested to do
u. rex to ii IL l. th,, rnYdSa 5;
it physicians say that while this ay
mitigate the repuls' We feature of p b.
lie expectOration, It o.es not les en-
the danger of public Infection, through
the sputa DIR! ing up and the So ILL
b, ling distrl bu' ed Wherein the wind
n az carry it. with di a-trous results
and the free and per-istency CT wirds
II this C uI:ry are too we'll knOwn tn
all for etiiled cCmmert.
Nor over, there is another repuls We
feature in connection with this uu-
leasart subject. There are iDva ids
sojou-ning here who do not hesitate to
so into the restaurant snd hawk aud
spit all overtb fro, ard not nly that
u ''w'pe j. al rvert'e country " it'll
their feet. Trey will sit along the
sides of the room right where patrons
of establishments bang their bats and
overcoats and expectorate all along the
mop board, so that when q hat or coat
may chance to fall from the hooks,
they of course drop straight into the
horrible mess, and the owner may not
notice the fact unless his hands hap
clothing. These people do not stop
to think that others have stomschs or
sens of decency, and often begin to
hawk, raise spit, scrape and wrench
their lungs the moment they enter a
restaurant. The writer saw one in
valid stand almost in a restaurant door
and go through the most violent exer-
tions to rid himself of diseased tissue,
and then look up as though offended
came up and shut the door to prevent
the people inside from being made
sick.
DIR. Villas endeavored year or so
ago to call public attention to the
necessity of muoicipal action in the
proper treatment of public splitting.
He went before the council, and also
spoke with no uncertain sound
through the public prints. The result
was that he was jumped on by many peO-
pie including o:her doctors who would
nave known better, had they stopped
to tn ink. and som of the papers joined
in the hue and cry. But DIR. Villas
showed how Imperative the mere ssity
was for action, in illustration of which
be cited the experience of Los An
geles, San Diego, Phoenix and other
cities where drastic means had been
resorted to to prevent general Infection
the dried sputa deposited in public and
exposed places by consumptives. In
Los Angeles large iron spittooas were
placed in the parks and streets corners
.ud sick people were given to under
stand tbas they must use these recep-
tacles or else be arrested and fined.
Twice day the iron spftoons were
Gle snst d and disipfected. But the E
Paso city council in its watcnless
wisdom saw at to disregard the
warnings, and now the matter is
brought up again for public considera-
ion. 1t remaios to be seen whether it
will continue to be neglected. Printed
statistics have showr that W b ere health
resorts have at the outset been free
from pulmonary diseases. yet, after
they become largely patron zed by in
valids disregardful of hygienic laws
and where there was no heathfu' saui-
turally healthy citizens have become
infected and many have died: the NOR
'~lity in some INSTANCES being very
marked. Some communities, San
Diego for instance, have be-
come 80 alarmed at tn
growing and meuaciny evil thai a man
can hardly eject the hitten-off emf of
cigar from bis mouth without being
LANCER Of a. rest. A case in point.
W. G. Walz, the we'll known mu-ic
and curio dealer of this city, was stand
log in the doorway of his San Diego
store some time ago vita an unlit ci-
gar in his hand. He presently BIT off |
the end and fippad it f. an his mouth |
out on to the sidewalk. He had TO |
sooner done 80 when poll, eman STEP |
ped up and warned him thai although |
he was on bis own premises he must
not spit in public. Mr.. Walz replied
that.he was not splitting; he only threw
from his mouth the end of a cigar. TIL
policeman however. warned him that
he was violating TIE ordinance, his
action might be construed O. splitting in
public, and he must be careful. A
San Franc SEQ merchant of
prom; nsnce was arrested no. long ago
for splitting on the floor of q street car
and fined; and in Greater New York
H. Ia o. t,,f1