366 
THOMPSON YATES LABORATORIES REPORT 
Thus, neglecting those cases which resulted in the death of both experimental 
animals within a few days, out of one hundred and five sputa collected, five were 
proved to contain virulent tubercle bacilli, a percentage of 4*76 ; three of the five 
being demonstrated microscopically. Some of the collections were certainly nasal 
secretions, discharged by way of either the anterior or posterior nares. 
The number of these sputa expectorated on to the side walks of the principal 
streets of large towns during the day reaches a large figure. I tried to count all 
those visible between ten and eleven o'clock on the morning of March 1, 1902, 
during a slow walk occupying one hour, along the most frequented streets of Liver- 
pool ; but the actual expectorations were far too numerous to count ; so that, 
omitting all very liquid ones, note was taken of all which appeared to have been 
recently expectorated, and which consisted of more or less thick mucous, muco- 
purulent, or purulent discharges. 
Brownlow Hill : part between University College and Lime 
Street — sunny side only ... ... ... 72 
Ranelagh Street — shaded side ... .. ... 14 
Church Street — sunny side ... ... ... ... 10 
Lord Street „ ... ... ... ... 11 
Castle Street ,, ... ... ... ... 7 
Dale Street — shaded side ... ... ... ... 30 
William Brown Street — sunny side ... ... ... 5 
London Road — shaded side ... ... ... ... 18 
Pembroke place ,, ... ... ... ... 16 
These figures give only a very faint idea of the extent of the expectoration 
which is going on each hour in streets, and consequently of the extent to which 
pedestrians are subjected to infection by tubercle bacilli. 
Besides the possibility of the masses drying in a few hours and of the bacilli 
being carried and thrown about in the dust of the air, sputum also soils the boots of 
passers by, but more particularly the trailing edges of ladies' skirts ; tubercle bacilli 
becoming freely distributed into offices, shops, dwelling-houses, etc., by this means. 
It is evident, therefore, that the indiscriminate expectoration of tubercular 
sputum into public thoroughfares, and particularly on the side walks of streets, is a 
danger (the extent of which cannot be at present exactly defined) to the public health, 
and measures for its prevention must be considered by sanitary authorities. 
The measures, which might be adopted, are :— 
1 . The education of the public as to the dangers which arise from indis- 
criminate expectoration, not only in dwelling-houses, but also in 
public places. 
2. Regulations and Byelaws. 
