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ADDENDUM.
PUBLIC SWIMMING BATHS. * *
"The Morning Post directs attention to the dangers arising from public
swimming baths. Every spell of hot weather produces a concerted rush
to the swimming baths. After these periodic incursions a large number
of the pilgrims suffer from colds or from internal disturbances which they
commonly refer to chills suffered during their aberrant enthusiasm for the
bath. This cause is more likely to be infection from the micro-organisms
of the swimming bath if, as often is the case, the water in it is not renewed
frequently or if the number of people who use it is large. Cases both of
nose and ear affections have been traced to this source, and sometimes,
though this is rare, typhoid enters the pool and spreads therefrom. These
dangers apply not merely to indoor swimming baths, but to some
swimming pools or lakes. Filtration has been tried without very much
effect, sterilisation by heat is out of the question because of the expense,
but sterilisation by chemicals offers a fruitful method because it has even
been applied successfully (at Barking, for example) to sewage effluents.
The application to a swimming bath of the methods of purifying sewage
has been recently tried with satisfactory results. Hypochlorite of lime*
in quantities sufficient to give 1 part available chlorine to 2 millions of
water was found to afford efficient sterilization.f The swimming pool
* The Electrolytic Fluid manufactured at Poplar is practically a solution
containing hypochlorite of magnesia, which has the advantage of being non-caustic
non-acid and non-poisonous. Other hypochlorites belong to the caustic and alkali and
alkaline-like earth groups of substances. A hypochlorite of magnesia belongs to the
magnesia group, and for commercial purposes can only be made cheaply by the aid of
electricity.
† For the three baths of over 80,000 gallons the strength of the fluid is kept as
near as possible at 2-5 grammes of chlorine per litre, and for the two baths at Poplar
at 2 0 grammes of chlorine per litre. 30, 20 and 20 gallons of fluid are added to the
first three baths, 20, 20 and 20 gallons to the large Poplar bath and 10, 10 and 10
gallons to the small bath. If these additions be worked out it will be found they are
sufficient to give one part of available chlorine to 1,600,000, 1,800,000 and 2,800,000 of
water.
* * See page 85.