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
Kensington 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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21
Numbers of Persons using the Swimming Baths.—The number of persons using the baths during
1937 was 131,728 ; this represents an increase of 4,137 over the figure for 1936:—
Men 38,111
Women 29,259
L.C.C. Schools—
Boys 33,221
Girls 31,137
131,728
Bacteriological Examination of Swimming-bath Water.— During the season from April to
September samples of water for bacteriological examination were taken from each of the four baths
on five occasions, a total of 21 samples being examined. A further twelve samples were taken from
the two second-class baths during the winter season.
The samples were collected in sterile screw-capped bottles which were filled by a swimmer at
the position in the bath indicated in the following table. The samples were obtained from about
three feet below the surface of the water. The bottles were then taken immediately for culture
of contents to the council's laboratory at the Princess Louise hospital.
The following Table gives the site from which the samples were taken and the total cell-count of organisms found in the samples:—
| Date of taking sample. | Site in bath from which sample was taken. | Total cell-count of organisms per c.c. of water. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's First-Class | May 7 | Deep end | 4 |
| June 2 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| July 7 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| August 9 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| September 9 | Deep end | 3 | |
| Women's First-Class | May 7 | Deep end | 8 |
| June 2 | Centre | Sterile. | |
| July 7 | Centre | Sterile. | |
| August 9 | Centre | Sterile. | |
| September 9 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| Men's Second-Class | May 7 | Deep end | 7 |
| June 2 | Centre | Sterile. | |
| July 7 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| August 9 | Centre | Sterile. | |
| September 9 | Centre | 5 | |
| October 20 | Shallow end | 10 | |
| October 20 | Deep end | 4 | |
| Women's Second-Class | February 26 | Deep end | Sterile. |
| February 26 | Shallow end | Sterile. | |
| February 26 | Centre (surface) | Sterile. | |
| February 26 | Side (surface) | Sterile. | |
| May 7 | Deep end | 2 | |
| June 2 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| July 7 | Centre | Sterile. | |
| July 7 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| August 9 | Centre (surface) | Sterile. | |
| September 9 | Deep end | 11 | |
| October 20 | Shallow end | Sterile. | |
| October 20 | Deep end | 42 | |
| November 26 | Deep end | Sterile. | |
| November 26 | Shallow end | Sterile. | |
| December 22 | Shallow end | 684 | |
| December 22 | Deep end | 790 |
Streptococci were absent from all samples, and B. coli from all but the last two.
Summary.— During 1937 a total of 131,728 swimmers used the swimming baths.
On nine occasions the water in use was subjected to bacteriological examination, a total of
33 samples being taken.
Bacteriological examination, on all but the last occasion, showed the samples to be satisfactory.
On the last occasion, when the chlorine content of the water had been reduced, the bacteriological
count was found to be considerably higher than normal.
Conclusions.— The water was found to be satisfactory from the bacteriological point of view,
and free from pathogenic organisms, when the free chlorine content of the water was kept at the
level of approximately 0.4 parts per million.