The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-01-09
THE DANGERS OF SWIMMING POOLS

In D recent radio broadcast from the New York state department of health the speaker
 discussed swimming pools and their effects on l health, and said that prolonged exposure of | bnthers to cold water may 10 "deplete their
 vitality" that dormant bacteria in the nose | and throat may induce an active infection. This Is especially the case if tho nose IS forcefully blown after diving, whereby nose and mouth secretions are forced into the middle ear or into sinuses where the mucous membrane Is sensitive.
 All that Is so much hooey. The New York state department of health cannot cite any sci entlhc evidence that exposure of the bather to cold water renders the bather more suscep tible to any such infection. Incidentally 1t was not physician who delivered the radio talk, but layman employed in the division of sani- tation of the health department. Neither can | any physician or health authority connected with the New York health department cite any scientific evidence that dormant bacteria" in an individuals nose throat ever caused any illness In the individual himself. That is just
 When a patron of swimming pool contracts eye inflammation, middle ear infection, sinusi- tis, throat infection, contagious skin dis ease rlngworm, pedicuosis or other parasitic Infestatlon in about the public swimming pool 1t is silly to try to explain 1t by suggesting he was too long in the cold water. or that he already harbored the germ or insect about his person and stirred the organism to virulence by blowing his in the wrong manner. The victim has simply caught something and no one can say in advance whether you or I or | the next person will or will not catch some- | thing if we patronize a public pool or public
 bath or public gymnasium. No doctor or health expert can determine whether your or my 'vtality is depleted' or whether our 're-
 sstance is lowered' All that Is just hooey. l | tell you, and 1t doesn't matter whether the | hooey is straight from the high mucky muck or from the neighborhood Sareygamp. | The fact is that the public health authorities
 find it practically impossible to keep any pub
 lie swimming pool, any pool used by large | number of persons, free from pollution and | safe for the patron. Anything powerful enough l 10 kill off the disease germs in the water is l e1V tn irritating | skin, to his eyes.
 | Ringworm, dermatophytosis, trichophytosis, | foot tch Trench" foot, athletes foot" may | be pretty effectuay prevented by the of a
 simple fungcidal foot bath and individual slip ! pers or sandals.
 1 The most effective precaution against ear
 and sinus infections is rigid exclusion of per-
 sons who have nose and throat troubles and a | strict enforcement of 6 rule against splitting or | blowing the in the pool
 | Even in pools having the most efficient dis | infectng installations 1t is necessary to have
 fresh change of water at the rate of 1000 | gallons for every 20 persons bathing QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CIairvoyant Wanted | My son has abscess of the kidney. Is this
 serious? What should he done? He is away at | school. I don't know what kind of doctor he W.
 | Answer-I regret I am unable to answer your questions without personal examination ! How can l suggest a doctor when you do not I putable physician can take care of such a case
 If any special opinion or treatment is necessary , he will advise you about 1t.
 Brooklyn Versus Jersey
 Son aged 9 has bronchitis Would like youi 1 opinion whether living in the city or over ir
 the country would be better for him. Mrs F. \. k.)
 Answer-country air is more likely to be | free from dust and other irritants than is city air. On the other hand. country air might ex- pose the patient to some specific irritant suci
 as pollen or horse dander or duck feathers
 such as egcites the trouble in some cases Aside
 from these considerations the climate does mol matter l Circumcision
 Son. aged (. needs circumcision. according e four doctors. | am told that from the age Of
 Co [ is the hest time. e. H. O.
 AnsYer--Now is the best time for elrcufn. cislon, when it is necessary, no matter whai the baby'H or ehiidR or youths age. ft is neceh'
 snry if there is any interference with eleanli' ness or with v0iding.