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16
Purification of Swimming Bath Water.
Considerable public interest has been shown in recent years
concerning the standard of purity of the water in public swimming
baths, and the liability of the spread of disease from contamination
unless effective steps are taken to ensure that the water in
the ponds is maintained in a wholesome condition.
It is satisfactory to record that this Council has recognised
the importance of this matter, and in 1927 a plant was installed
at the Old Kent Road Baths for the filtration, aeration and
chemical treatment of the water. In the following year a similar
plant was installed at the Church Street Baths, and during last
year the Council approved the erection of a further plant at the
Dulwich Baths, the work of which is now proceeding.
Samples of the water have been taken from the Old Kent
Road and Church Street Baths from time to time and submitted
for chemical analysis and bacteriological examination. The
reports have always been satisfactory. The inhabitants of Camberwell
can therefore be assured that as the result of the
establishment of filtration plants at the Public Baths in the
Borough all practicable steps have been taken to secure for the
bather, as far as possible, protection from the risk of disease
transmission. On economic grounds a considerable saving of
water has also been effected by the substitution of chemical
treatment for the practice of periodically emptying the ponds.
Suspected Food Poisoning.
In December of the year under review a local medical practitioner
telephoned this Department and reported that he had
been called in to treat several persons at a Day and Boarding
School in this Borough who were suffering from symptoms
suggestive of food poisoning.
In the course of investigations at the School I was informed
that 22 persons on the previous day had had salmon, vinegar, stewed
apples and custard, made from a proprietary brand of custard
powder, for lunch, which was eaten at 12.15 p.m. At 3 o'clock
the same afternoon a female student, aged 15 years, had an
attack of vomiting, diarrhoea and gastric pains. An hour later
another female scholar, aged 15 years, had a similar attack, and
about the same time a female boarder aged 15 and a maid aged
17 were taken ill with slight vomiting. A kitchen maid, aged 27
years, was also ill at the same time with pains in the stomach,
diarrhoea, vomiting and extreme prostration. This patient was
removed to St. Giles' hospital the same day, where she made a
rapid recovery. None of these patients had had the same food
for breakfast.
The article of food which was suspected to be responsible for
the illness of the patients was the contents of 4 tins of salmon,