Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-16
WHAT The GOVERNMENT Is DOING

The "old swimming hole Of sparsely
settled rural communities, through
which water passed
bathing poo1s continuously, and In
-, which relatively few
anu 0eaAtn. persons bathsd. was
probably little more dangerous as
potential spreader Of disease than an
individual shower bath. The sanitary
condition, however. OF the .city's mod
ern substitute for the swimming
hole-the artificial pooi-makes alto
gether different story. The public
health service has interested itself in
the matter and through its publica-
lions has distributed Information In re-
gard to studies Of pool sanitation in
order that communities and organfza-
lions operating such facilities for sum-
mer comfort and recreation may adopt
the safest methods.
The need for health authorities to
look closely into the role Of bathing
pools as disseminators Of communica-
BILE diseases has been shown by OBJ
servations all over the world 1t has
been proved over and over again that
eye and ear troubles. intestinal all
ments, such as typhoid. and some OF
the most serious Of the known blood
diseases may become epidemic among
bathers in infected pools. At the same
time that this has come to be realized
swimming pools and water sports have
grown steadily in favor. An increas-
ing number Of colleges and schools are
making an ability to swim a gradua-
tion requirement. and a growing num-
Der of clubs and associations are in
stalling pools. In addition, there are
now in the United States more than
100 municipal pools
The Studies Of the sanitary condition
of pools, made public by the United
States public health service. were car
ried on in a large city, and care was
taken to select pools for examination
sanitary condition of the water was
taken to be indicated by the number
of bacteria present. especially colon
bacilli. which indicate the probability
of typhoid and other intestinal infec-
tions. 1t was shown that colon bacil1i
present in a pool did not multiply when
the pool was not used, and 1t was,
therefore, proved that the increase
in contamination was wholly from
bathers.
One important fact brought out by
the study is that small pools are espe-
cially dangerous from their very lack
of volume. In pool containing 24.500
gallons, though care was taken to use
in the water chloride of lime one Of the
best correctives for pool contamination
under favorable conditions. the contain
1natlon was marked and numerous
colon bacilH were present. In a pool of
$4,000 gallons capacity. refilled fire.
quently but without the use of chem
icals. marked contamination was also
found.
When the Investigators studied pool
which refiltered the city water they
found the best conditions encountered
up to that time. This pool. with ca
pacity of only $4,000 gallons. was kept
in good condition, though emptied only
once a week. Few colon bacilli were
discovered. The final examination Of a
pool of great capacity-250,000 gallons
which refiltered it's water and made
carefully calculated use Of calcium hy-
pochlorite. showed this to be, in the
opinion of investigators, the ideal
method of keeping pools safe and in
good sanitary condition. Treated In
this way the water was retained for
months and used by several thousand
bathers, and yet was clear and uncon-
taminated. Samples examined rarely
showed higher bacterial count than
drinking water, while many were who'll
ly sterile, making the transmission of
disease through bathing practically i'm
possible. In addition to reducing the
bacteria in tap water. refiltration makes
1t possible to see the bottom of the
pool at all times and so lessons the
danger of bathers drowning