Spittoon

In the late 19th century, spittoons became a common feature of pubs, brothels, saloons, hotels, stores, banks, railway carriages, and other places where people (especially adult men) gathered, notably in the United States, but allegedly also in Australia.

Other materials used for mass production of spittoons ranged from basic functional iron to elaborately crafted cut glass and fine porcelain.

Use of spittoons was considered an advance of public manners and health, intended to replace previously common spitting on floors, streets, and sidewalks.

[1] A mass-produced sign seen in saloons read: If you expect to rate as a gentleman Do not expectorate on the floorSpittoons were also useful for people suffering from tuberculosis who would cough up phlegm.

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.

A large public collection of spittoons can be found at Duke Homestead State Historic Site[4] Durham, North Carolina.

The mass introduction of spittoons was no doubt a public hygiene initiative, motivated by a desire to curtail the still common Chinese practice of spitting onto the floor.

There are a few companies that currently make spittoons for users of smokeless tobacco, such as MudJug, Spitbud, and Mud Bud by DC Crafts Nation.