London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1909
Annual report of Medical Officer of Health for 1909
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The Committee concurred in this recommendation, and on the 2nd October,
1903, submitted the following report to the Court of Common Council:—
"We have further considered the steps taken with a view to prevent as
"far as possible the objectionable practice of spitting, and it having
"been suggested that notices might with advantage be fixed to the lamp"posts
in the City, we placed ourselves in communication with the City
"of London Electric Lighting Company, in order to secure their consent
"to the proposal, which we have since obtained, and we now suggest
"that enamelled iron notices, requesting the public to abstain from
"spitting on the footways, be fixed to the electric lamp-posts, under the
"direction of the Streets Committee, at a cost of about 7 5l.
This recommendation was negatived by the Court, probably owing to the
impression that the Notice was intended to refer to the roadways as well as the
footways.
In 1906 the principal railway companies adopted a bye-law making spitting on platforms, booking offices, &c., or in railway carriages a punitive offence.
| Name of Railway Company. | Date when the bye-law was approved by the Board of Trade. |
|---|---|
| London, Brighton and South Coast | 24th March, 1905. |
| London, Tilbury and Southend | 5th April, 1905. |
| Great Western | 10th April, 1905. |
| Midland | 14th April, 1905. |
| Great Eastern | 3rd May, 1905. |
| South Eastern and Chatham | 27th May, 1905. |
| Great Central | 7th July, 1905. |
| London and North Western | 16th Sept., 1905. |
| Metropolitan District | 6th Nov., 1905. |
| City and Waterloo | 14th March, 1905. |
| Central London | 6th March, 1907. |
| City and South London | 30th April, 1907. |
The following is a copy of the bye-law referred to:—
"No person shall spit upon the floor or upon any part of any carriage
"using or being used on the railway, or upon the platform at any station
"of the Company, or upon the floor, side or wall of any hall, office,
"waiting-room, refreshment room, public room or public passage at any
"station of the Company. Any person infringing or not observing this
"bye-law and regulation shall be liable to the penalty prescribed by bye"law
No. 1, and in case of non-compliance with the request of any servant
"or agent of the Company to desist, may, without prejudice to any such
"penalty, be forthwith removed from the Company's premises by or under
"the direction of any such servant or agent."
The penalty referred to is a fine not exceeding forty shillings for a first
offence, and not exceeding 5l. for any subsequent offence.