The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-17
kYClENlC BATHING.
PhyslcIans Raise Objections to the Use o.
tho Swimming Pool.

the Swimming Pool.
The dangers or the public swimming
pool should not be forgotten by those
suddenly interested in the subject OF
cleanliness among the poor of the
cities. In the first place. only small
portion of the citizens or the United
States can or will avail themselves OF
Che supposed benefits OF unrcgulatcd
free bathing. The city poor is n small
part of che whole number OF citizens
Indeed, the proper place for cleaning
the body IL at home. and effort should
De made by hyglenists to educate the
people in this matter. Then again. II
Is only on the ocean shore that suf
icicrt pure water can be had for
clean bathing. The water OF our
streams and rivers is so fouled that
without altering. etc, no competent
sanitary authority would advise its
indisc-lmnatc use in the eyes, mouth,
nose. ears and upon the skin.
TO make orr public water supplies
sufficiently pure and plenteOuS FOR
free baths and swimming pools for all
who need bathing would at once bank
rupt every city and State. But the
Wo- is yc; 10 come! Surprising the
pU.'Hcd water could he supplied in
such quantities. the free swimming
tank or pool is Immediately fouled.
and almost inevitably infected, WHOM
the bathing has begun. The contagiom
OF any person having an infectious
disease may be given Off in the water
and carried TO another bather To
carry OF or change the dirty and pos
sibly infected water in n popular tank
rapidly enough to avoid this would be
impossible
The proper methods Of bathing are
four: o. BY the bath in ocean water
ut the seashorc. For only II very few
OF the entire people, and for but one
fourth OF the year is this possible
Such bathing, like many other kinds
or bathing, is not for cleansing the
body. % By the bath-tub with pure
water, possible only for the well-to-do
and for Il limited number in public
lighthouses. % BY the spray or rain
bath, the sole method advisable in
public baths, and especially II sup
ported by the benevolent, by the State.
or by city appropriations. a. BY
means OF sponge or towel at home.
even with only n few gallons OF water.
This method should be encouraged BIZ
hySicnistS, physicians and all those
who would discriminatory help for
ward the cause OF the public health.
The free swimming bath for the vast
majority OF our people is impossible
to provide II the water shall be pure.
and it is impossible 10 keep the water
pure when it is provided. We leave
out OF the count the MOTTO bc-sneered-
at fact that unless the bathing IS done
unclothed, soap and cleanliness are
not thought OF, and, even at best. mod
esty, that hardly won virtue. Is not
encouraged in public bathing. The
only iGcontestabIe fact is that the
public swimming pool Is n danger to-
not a promoter OF, the public health
The newspapers, the politicians and
the selhshly charitable are right In
their efforts 10 encourage cleanliness
but the mere desire TO do good nova
days does not prevent the final result
from showing wasted effort. and not
infrcquentiy, positive evil. Science
should ballast our sentimentallsm. ana
nowhere more carefully than In so
claiistic experiment and fervors.-
Philadelphia American Medicine.