A Chicago courtroom scene, mid 1910s. A spittoon is seen on the floor at bottom right.

A spittoon (or spitoon) is a receptacle made for spitting into, especially by users of chewing tobacco. It is also known as a cuspidor, although that term is also used for a type of spitting sink used in dentistry. Cuspidors are still manufactured today, and commonly seen in gymnasia adjacent to drinking fountains. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... // The 1910s represent the culmination of European militarism which had its beginnings during the second half of the 19th Century. ... Spit may refer to: Look up spit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in genus Nicotiana. ... A Dentist and Dental Assistant perform surgery on a patient. ... Modern indoor gymnasium with pull-down basketball hoops. ...

"Spittoon" can also be slang American English for any receptacle (such as a tin can) used to hold spit, although the term "spitter" is more common. Slang is the use of highly informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speakers dialect or language. ... For other uses, see American English (disambiguation). ...

Similar vessels for spitting had been used in Southwest Asia for centuries. Spittoons appeared both in the United States and the United Kingdom under the same name about 1840. It has been suggested (perhaps humorously) that the name was in part onomatopoeia. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For the supervillain, see Onomatopoeia (comics). ...

The era of the common spittoon in the United States

"America is one long expectoration." -- Oscar Wilde on his first visit to the United States, 1882

In the late 19th century United States spittoons became a very common feature of many places, including saloons, hotels, stores, banks, railway carriages, and other places where people (especially adult men) gathered. Spitting is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. ... Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and author of short stories. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Hotel (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bank (disambiguation). ...

A simple 19th century U.S. made spittoon of yellow ware

Brass was the most common material for spitoons. Other materials used for mass production of spittoons ranged from basic functional iron to elaborately crafted cut glass and fine porcelain. At higher class places like expensive hotels, spittoons could be elaborately decorated. U.S. made 19th century yellow ware spittoon from Five Points, New York City. ... For other uses, see Brass (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Iron (disambiguation). ... This article is about the material. ... “Fine China” redirects here. ...

Spittoons are flat-bottomed, often weighted to minimize tipping over, and often with an interior "lip" to make spilling less likely if they tip. Some have lids, but most not. Some have holes, sometimes with a plug, to aid in draining and cleaning.

Use of spittoons was considered an advance of public manners and health, intended to replace previously common spitting on floors, streets, and sidewalks. Many places passed laws against spitting in public other than into a spittoon.

Some people of this era objected to restrictions on where they could spit as an infringement on their individual rights. Nonetheless, a larger segment of the public favored use of spittoons. Boy Scout troops organized campaigns to paint "DO NOT SPIT ON THE SIDEWALK" notices on city sidewalks. A mass produced sign seen in many saloons read: For the Boy Scouting program within the BSA, see Boy Scouting (Boy Scouts of America). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

If you expect to rate as a gentleman

Do not expectorate on the floor

Spittoons were also useful for people suffering from tuberculosis who would cough up phlegm. Public spittoons would sometimes contain a solution of an antiseptic such as carbolic acid with the aim of limiting transmission of disease. With the start of the 20th century medical doctors urged tuberculosis sufferers to use personal pocket spittoons instead of public ones; these were jars with tight lids which people could carry with them to spit into. Similar devices are still used by some with tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or TuBerculosis) is a common and deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ... Phlegm (pronounced ) is sticky fluid secreted by the typhoid membranes of animals. ... An antiseptic solution of Povidone-iodine applied to an abrasion Antiseptics (Greek αντί, against, and σηπτικός, putrefactive) are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction. ... Phenol, also known under an older name of carbolic acid, is a colourless crystalline solid with a typical sweet tarry odor. ... The word physician should not be confused with physicist, which means a scientist in the area of physics. ...

After the 1918 flu epidemic, both hygiene and etiquette advocates began to disparage public use of the spittoon, and use began to decline. Chewing gum replaced tobacco as the favorite chew of the younger generation. Cigarettes were considered more hygienic than spit-inducing chewing tobacco. While it was still not unusual to see spittoons in some public places in parts of the US as late as the 1930s, vast numbers of old brass spittoons met their ends in the scrap drives of World War II. The 1918 flu pandemic, commonly referred to as the Spanish flu, was a category 5 influenza pandemic caused by an unusually severe and deadly Influenza A virus strain of subtype H1N1. ... Hygiene refers to practices associated with ensuring good health and cleanliness. ... It has been suggested that Office etiquette be merged into this article or section. ... Chewing gum Chewing gum is a type of confectionery which is designed to be chewed rather than swallowed. ... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Spittoon in the Chinese Society

In China during the Qing Dynasty, a golden spittoon would be among the numerous objects displayed in front of the Emperor at major ceremonies.^[1] Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Territory of Qing China in 1892 Capital Shengjing (1636-1644) Beijing (1644-1912) Language(s) Chinese Manchu Mongolian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1636-1643 Huang Taiji  - 1908-1912 Xuantong Emperor Prime Minister  - 1911 Yikuang  - 1911-1912 Yuan Shikai History  - Establishment of the Late... Chinese sovereign is the ruler of a particular period in ancient China. ...

After China became a Communist state in 1949, the spittoon became much more prevalent: spittoons were placed at every conceivable public place, and were commonplace in homes as well. The mass introduction of spittoons was no doubt a public hygiene initiative, motivated by a desire to correct the once common Chinese practice of spitting onto the floor. The spittoons used in China were typically made of white porcelain, sometimes with traditional Chinese art painted onto the exterior. Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “Fine China” redirects here. ...

Spittoons were used even during official functions by the political leaders of China; this eventually became a source of ridicule by the mass media outside the Communist state. As a response, the spittoons have largely been withdrawn from public spaces in China since the late 1980s. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ...

Latter day spittoons

While spittoons are still made, they are no longer commonly found in public places.

A rare profession which commonly uses spittoons is that of wine taster. A wine taster will sip samples of wine and then spit them into a spittoon in order to avoid intoxication. For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ... ...

Trivia

James Joyce claimed that to him, 'cuspidor' (a synonym of 'spittoon') was the most beautiful word in the English language. This article is about the writer and poet. ...

Each Justice on the United States Supreme Court has a spittoon next to his seat in the courtroom. The last time the spittoon was used for its customary purpose was in the early 20th century.[1]

External links

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Spittoons

• Spitoon collection of the Old Iowa State Capital