The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-21
WANT NO SPLITTING
SANITARY BOARD REQUESTED Or
DINANCE AGAINST 1T.
PENALTY TO BE IMPOSED.
COUNCIL WILL PROBABLY GRANT
THE BOARDS REQUEST.

splitting, Sanitary Board Concluded.
should Not Be Permitted In Street
Cars, on Sidewalks or in Public
BuiIdings-ResoIutio to That Eff
feet Adopted, and Council May
Pass an Ordinance-Matter Re
ferred to Committee on Public
HeaIth-Other Than Health Rea-
sons Urged in Support of Such a
Measure.
The Sanitary Board wants an ordinance
passed by Council to prevent splitting in
street cars, on sidewalks and in public
buildings. a resolution calling for such
an ordinance was passed by the board
and Council, at its meeting last night
was acquainted with the wish for such
a safeguard against disease.
some discussion of the resolution arose.
in Council upon the communication from
the secretary of the Sanitary Board
Health Officer W. f. Drummer. 1t was
first proposed that the city attorney be
Instructed to draft such an ordinance
but the objection was raised that such
measure and that, as matter of course
it would be expected that the ordinan e
would be passed. 1t was finally decided
to refer the communication to the Com
rnittee on Public Health.
1t is very probable that such an ordi-
nance will be formulated and passed. The
Sanitary Board is comprised of the Mayor,
two aldermen, the Health Officer and
three citizens, and it's opinion and reso-
luton upon such question will doubt
less carry weight. 1t will be mltter
Of but a few weeks before some penalty
will be exacted for what VIII then be the
offense of spitti, where the practice is
prescribed by law
Savannah is behind many other cities
that have long since passed such an ordi-
nance. In most of the places where the
measure has prevailed there was not a
little animated discussion upon It before
it's adoption. Atlanta and NJ aeon. among
others, had the scusslon, and those OPP
POSED to such a measure talked out freely
and frequently.
Macon has a strict enforcement of the
ordinance prohibiting splitting in public
places in that city. Let one walk along
tDE streets ana spit upon the Sidewalk,
and the detection of the offense by a po-
liceman will mean the imposition OF a fine
of SO by the Recorder. The ordinance
has resulted in sidewalks being freed
from nearly all the spittle that formerly
rendered them Objectionable, and street
cars aud public buildings are in greater
decency.
Sanitary reasons impeEled the action Of
the board. but there are others that make
it desirable that the practice of indis-
criminate splitting be brought to an end.
Physicians declare that all manner of dis
case germs float about in the atmosphere
in the dust that arises from dried spittle,
and it is TO prevent infection through this
means that the sanitary board desires
10 have such an ordinance passed.
Aesthetic reasons also urge the passage
Of such an ordinance. 1t is nosome 20
observe evidences of eXpectcrati2n wher-
ever one may turn, and one with fine SEN
slbilities has them continually shocked,
though il must be said that, so common
is the sight, that it has lost the power
TO affect very many.
Ladies have practical reason for de-
string the passage of such an ordinance.
IN this Cay of long SIX rts that sweep the
ground, when net daintily and graceful
drawn up and about the ankles, spittle
is a great annoyance to ladies. They Of
ten have to let their skirts trail, and, if
ii is but for a moment, there is q prac-
IDEAL certainty that they will sweep up
disease germs, tobacco and filth that
have been spit upon sidewalks or the
floors of street cars or public buildings.