SWIMMING POOLS AND WATER PURIFICATION

SWIMMING POOL

Introduction

The swimming pool as a place of healthy exercise and relaxation should be attractive and lead to some end to the promotion of health physically and mentally well being. That must be healthy surroundings and protected from pollution. The pool should have a shallow gutter running around just above the permanent water level in the pool and other one always above the edge of pool. A place for undressing must be provided as an append to the bath together with sufficient sanitary urinals and lavatories and shower booths, which every bather must use before entering the swimming pool. The pool should provide an average of 3 sq meter of surface area per bather as calculated at the peak hours and the length should be at least 3 times the breadth and depth of 3 to 5 times at the deep end. For very young children a separate bath is preferable. Swimming pool can become dangerous sources of transmission of many diseases like upper respiratory tract infections, for example influenza, common cold, cerebro spinal fever chickenpox, nasopharyngitis and intestinal diseases including dysentery, diarrhea, jaundice, and other water borne diseases. Certain fungal infections like athletes foot can occur at bathing pools. Ear drum injuries and eye diseases like conjunctivitis also caused through swimming pools. The full area around the pool and premises and the pool should be always clean thoroughly.

Prevention of infections

In addition to ensuring the purity of water certain rules of conduct for the bathers have to emphasized. Those must be framed and exhibited in visible places at the pool. Those rules are based upon are, dogs are not to be allowed near to the pool, an another shower bath must be taken after swimming, persons suffering from intestinal, eye and ear and skin infections, upper respiratory infections, discharging sores and wounds and also passing discharges from any parts or openings of the body must be prohibited from using the swimming pool. before entering the the pool all bathers should ease their bowels and bladder and throat discharges and have a shower bath with soap. Interchange of costumes should not be allowed. Women must wear a waterproof cowl to cover their hair. Before entering the bathing pools bathers should dip their feet for few minutes in 2 t0 3 % chlorine solution kept near the diving boards, platforms and ladders. Bathers should not spit into the pool. Gutter around the running just above the surface of water in the pool must be used for this purpose. Separate cloak rooms and dressing rooms and toilet rooms and bath rooms should be maintained for both genders. Special care for children bathers like protecting ear by plugging with cotton rounds and also they should be taught to swim with out taking water into the mouth and swallowing it. Due to these a most of the respiratory, ear and intestinal infections can be avoided.

Purification of water in swimming pools.

When a daily change of water or continuous flow is not practicable the water in pool must be renewed at least once a week and at least ten to fifteen % of water is to be replaced by a flow of fresh water every day. When bath water is emptied the sides and bottom floor is scrubbed and washed with lime water before refilling. To prevent algal growth and accumulation of slime(mud) in sides and bottom of the pool,  mix an addition of copper sulfate 2 grammes per 1000 liters of water once a week. When continuous wholesale change or inflow not carried out, some swimming pools are equipped with the continuous filtration and chlorination system, but fill and empty system is found usually. Attention is very necessary to ensure that water is maintained in a pure state continually at such baths. Sedimentation is rarely possible, when possible a separate settling tank must be provided for the sedimentation process. It is carried out by adding 70 gm of alum per hundred liters of water and allow the water for 4 hours stay in settling tank before refilling the pool by syphonage. In all the systems of clarification ten % of water should be drained out and replaced by fresh water at every turn of clarification.

Sterilization process carried out not only for the initial sterilization of water but also maintains a  minimum sterilizing to neutralize soon any ineffective organism/material,etc.introduced by bathers. Chlorination is always necessary and is carried out by injecting chlorine gaseous by using chloronome plants or by liquid chlorine or adding water sterilizing powder, having find out by the required amount of water sterilizing powder by doing Horrocks test calculation. WSP may be added at the water inlet when the swimming pool is being refilled with a special dosing apparatus. The swimming pool water from 4 to 5 different points should be tested for a colour test daily half an hour after adding the water sterilizing powder solution. If a blue colour is not obtained the daily dose of wsp must be increased. This method is satisfactory where a daily change of water in the swimming pool is carried out and this may be acceptable when water clarification is efficient highly. Bacteriological tests should be carried out weekly from 5 different parts of pool, and an hour after the maximum concentration of bathers. Chlorination by mechanical injector is the ideal method. In all modern water works armed with a highly efficient system of   ensuring a high clarity of water, such as are obtained in large municipal corporations or base areas, chlorination by use of gaseous or liquid chlorine mechanically in water by means of chloronomes is carried out.

 

 

PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF CHOLERA

INTRODUCTION

Cholera is an acute dehydrating diarrhea along with rice watery or colourless  stool as a consequence of vibrio cholera or vibrio El Tor stains. Mortality is more in vibrio cholera and morbidity and  carrier state is more in El Tor. It was spread over vast areas of world in the past and the most important epidemic centre in the world was Bengal in India from where the pandemics had, and also important centers are central India and south Tamilnadu and Uttarpradesh and deltas of main rivers in India, so that India was known as home of cholera. There are also endemic areas in China Yangtse valley and in Burma and Philippines. It increases with the onset of monsoon and decreases rapidly after monsoon. Places of pilgrimage are the main epidemic centers for its dispersion all over the countries. Pandemics and epidemics follow the routes of travel.

Cholera EL Tor stain

A research worker in 1905 on the shores of Red sea isolated peculiar strains of from the bodies of pilgrims of from mecca, who had shown no signs and symptoms of cholera, but shown in laboratory just reacted like vibrio cholera bacillus except that it produced a haemolysin. Because the pilgrims had not really seen died of cholera. Thus it was thought that vibrio E Tor was not a disease producing bacteria till it was proved and established in Celebes causing a severe disease exactly like cholera. The infection remained and confined for a long time to small areas of the island of Celebes till 1961 and it attacked many countries in pacific region and in south east Asia from where cholera had disappeared, encroaching upon the traditional areas of classified cholera. During 1955 El Tor cholera spread in many countries and epidemics broke out in India, Nepal, Pakistan,etc, and question raised whether the cholera El Tor is a variation of classical cholera or is a different disease from practical point of view been settled in 1962 by WHO research group on cholera. The illness caused by the El Tor vibrio is indistinguishable from that caused by the vibrio classical cholera. It is, therefore, now regarded necessarily identical with classical cholera and must be treated as such and international health regulations also redefined cholera to include cholera El Tor. Man is the reservoir of infection. 

Source of infection

Cases suffering from cholera and polluting water, food, etc, are the immediate source of infection. Route and mode of transmission are infection by vibrio cholera by ingestion and most common vehicle of infection being water.Organism of cholera can survive in water with saline and organic contents for a long time. Mild cases cholera defecating daily on the river bank or near collection of water, like ponds, for few days can start an explosive out break of cholera amongst those who drink this water. Vegetables and fruits washed or watered with polluted water may also carry the illness if eaten raw. If milk is diluted with polluted water can spread the disease and also flies may infect food in the presence of a cholera case close by. Mineral water is also a vehicle when it is made by unpurified water. Food contamination by polluted water, cooks and other food handlers serve as a vehicle of infection. Incubation period is less than 5 days and may be little as 12 hours. A case of cholera is ineffective during the incubation period, the course of disease and about 7 days there after.

Prevention and control

Protected water supply purified, protected, chlorinated and proper disposal of night soil and sewage. Safe and protected milk supply, protected wholesome food, and washed green raw vegetables and fruits like watermelon and absence of flies and healthy habits of eating, drinking and defecating and personal hygiene. A prohibition of employment of workers who may be carriers to handle food are the principal preventive measures. Regular preventive inoculation campaign in endemic areas of cholera. It confers protection for 3 to 6 months after which re inoculation is required. All the cholera vaccines manufactured in India contain El Tor component. International Health regulations by WHO are important to prevent the international spread of cholera which has become very easy because of the increase of speed of  modern travel. Under the regulations people coming from areas where cholera persists, must be vaccinated and are carefully screened. Preventive measures are taken on arrival from suspected areas by ships, aircraft, trans and road vehicles. A better standard of living, personal cleanliness, clean water supply, better health services permitting rapid hospitalization of cholera cases, better food hygiene and health habits are the important factors in the control of and research in cholera is to be hoped that the long standing epidemicity in India will disappear and spread of cholera El Tor will be prevented.

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BODY EXERCISE, FATIGUE AND RECOVERY

INTRODUCTION

 EXERCISE

The  body requires normal strain. Physical inactivity leads to obesity, low muscular laxity, low katabolism, low cardiac tolerance and a low threshold for physical and emotional stress. Physical activity is a stimulant to the growth of children and adolescents and promotes and increases mental relaxation in adults. It increases resistance against heart disease, respiratory infections, etc, prevents obesity and physical and mental dullness. Excise should not be so excessive as to cause extreme fatigue as like all stimuli, it becomes a stress making factor if it is excessive. It should be sufficient to produce pleasant weariness demanding relaxation. Stage of relaxation recovery must follow exertion causing.  Relaxation and sleep are necessary for recovery of the body from fatigue eliminating biochemical products and psychological  effects of mental and physical exertion. Sleep should be sound with out any artificial aids like pills of tranquilizers, seductives. A sound sleep is make sure by freedom from ill health, good feeding and enough mental and physical exercises and comfortable from thermal environments, freedom from pests like bedbugs, mosquitoes, rats and sand flies and so on, and also comfortable garments, bed, bedding and bed linen and free from noise.

USE OF LEISURE

Recreation for persons to get interest in healthy out door and indoor activities and games, recreational outings, visits to places of historical, cultural and religious interests and hobbies like painting, music, handicraft, photography and other past time re creative engagements for using leisure in healthy endeavor to attain produces a healthy attitude of life, inhibits temptation to indulge in unhealthy activities, aimless loitering quarrelsome behavior and provides relaxation. All facilities may be provided and men to be induced to take full advantages. Ethical, religious and moral teaching keeps the mind of people geared to healthy thought and action which provides a strong inhibiting factor in unhealthy pursuits like promiscuity and alcoholism or heavy smoking habits. A high physical standard is achieved by regular exercise. Drinking and smoking should be avoided.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES AGAINST DISEASES.

Active preventive measures against diseases may be non-specific and are to be build highly resistant positive health against ill health like use of mosquito net against insect borne diseases like malaria, filaria and and protection of eyes with dark glasses and use of proper cloths in winter and summer to avoid adverse effects climate such as heat stroke, cold injuries like frost bite,etc. immunization is a single most protective measures against some specific diseases. Observation of personal protective measures should become a part of our behavior pattern. There are direct or indirect measures which protect against physical injuries, mental break down and such other non-preventable diseases. For example maintenance of vehicles, good training, precautions to to avoid accidents, physical and mental fitness are some of the some of the non specific measures.

MODIFICATION IN MODE OF LIFE

Modification becomes essential under certain conditions. Life in extremely hot surroundings like desert require a high water and an adequate salt intake. similarly life in high altitude needs sufficient caloric food intake to meet effects of cold and hypoxia. Adequate protection by proper use of extra clothing is necessary in cold at an high altitude. Use of dark glasses is necessary to protect from snow blindness at high altitude areas. Protective clothing must be used to take care of insect vectors, leeches and snake bites. similarly living in different terrains wants good habits of living in harmony with the surroundings. Regarding personal hygiene men should should get facilities each day for washing and changing inner clothes and socks. At the same time dangers of bathing and washing in revers and lakes which are polluted with sewage to be remembered.

CARE OF THE FEET AND PREVENTION OF SORE FEET

All men are to wash their feet minimum twice a day, normally in tepid water if available. After this they should be steeped in cold water for ten minutes. Soaking them in a solution of salt water is useful to harden very soft feet. It is useful to wear a pair of thin nylon or cotton socks. Changing into chapels at the end of the day work is great value.Those with a tendency to sore feet should dust with foot powder each day. Feet must be kept clean always.