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43 l929
to immersion of the head in water. Most authorities believe
that the latter factor plays the chief part and that the action of
bathing is to cause an infection of the patient's middle ear owing
to unhealthy conditions of his own naso-pharynx. Some doctors
in Acton have told me that they have cases of sore throat in the
summer which they attribute to bathing-. We have exceptional
facilities for watching any ill effects in school children and I have
not come across any authentic cases of sore throats or otitis media
which could be attributed to the baths. These sore throats and
discharging ears are caused by germs called streptococci and as
these germs are found in polluted bath water, the possibility of
transmission of these diseases by water must be admitted. The
really extraordinary thing is that there are not more cases reported
when one considers the vast number who use swimming baths as
part of the curriculum, and are subject to medical supervision. In
their case it would appear to be impossible that an outbreak of
disease would not be traced to its source if a swimming bath was
responsible for spreading infection on a large scale.
It may be assumed that the danger of the spread of disease
is a small one, and this risk might be avoided entirely by the use
of chemicals. It has been found that a very high bacterial standard
of purity may be obtained by the chlorination of the water.
Chlorination has been applied for the sterilisation of water from
a sewage polluted river at a public bathing beach with satisfactory
results. In this country, Dr. Alexander of Poplar, recommended
the use of electrolytic fluid, a mixture of hypochlorites which is
added in such amount as to yield 0.5 parts cf chlorine per
1,000,000, the bath water not being filtered, but changed periodically,
and this method was used in Poplar. A few baths are treated
with copper sulphate. These methods are condemned in the
Report of the Ministry of Health as they do not get over the
difficulty of dirty water, and the procedure as it cloaks the inevitable
appearance and masks the dour of deterioration enables the
same water to be used for a longer period without refilling. This
last objection would not apply very forceably here as the water is
always changed every other day. Chlorination alone will not
clarify the water, but it will probably destroy any germs which
would cause diseases. With the increase in the popularity of
swimming, the Committee may at some future date have to consider
the question of filtration, but a great improvement can be
effected if certain obvious rules and common sense regulations are
strictly enforced.
Small-pox.
Two cases of Small-pox were notified and both were fata!.
The patients were husband and wife and came to this country from