3 68 
THOMPSON YATES LABORATORIES REPORT 
From these extracts it is seen that up to the present legislation has been directed 
almost solely towards the prevention of the habit of expectorating chiefly in public 
buildings and public conveyances. In Liverpool and many of the other large towns 
in England the only attempts made to prevent the habit consist simply in the posting 
of notices prohibiting spitting in tramcars and public buildings. The present powers 
of local authorities not permitting of the breach being treated as a punishable offence, 
these notices are largely neglected. There can be no doubt, in the light of the results 
of the above experimental investigation, that more strict measures must be adopted 
by sanitary authorities to prevent expectoration, not only on public conveyances and 
buildings, but also in public thoroughfares. 
3. A further measure might be adopted by sanitary authorities, of the daily 
washing down and cleansing of the sidewalks of the principal streets. 
In many towns the paved roadways are regularly flushed. A similar 
procedure practised on the sidewalks would effectually get rid of 
all sputum, and, moreover, remove the excreta of dogs and other 
disgustingly undesirable material which soil the public footpaths of 
our large towns. 
