The rush season for Shanghai Jdoctors is now on, according to several members of the profession. 'The reason for thi¢ is to be found-in the usual trend of a Shanghai sutmer, though the fect that this year has' been unusual, perhaps, fret point of view of humidity in no way Tessens "the ails that flesh is belt ben Apart from the usual intestinal disturbances, certain physicians in dicate that there is the recurrent ear trouble largely due to the summer habit of spending as much time as possible in swimming baths. angus-like growth or infection is the chief symptom of this unpleasant affliction which ig often difficult to heal and which sometimes spreads from the ear to various other parts of the face and body, Ex. actly what the nature of the infection is has not bern entirely determined, but it ig believed to be-Jong to the same variety of ailment, the Hongkong foot, likewise d termined as a form of firnns growth, and which is by non Humorous aftiction to pick up. Cos of Hongkong foot have been known where it was necessary to amputa the foot, so virulent had the disco: attacked, according to medical men.
The present ear troubles, howe which in no way approximate at epidemic, ave declared to be due not to infected water so much as to the fact that maceration of the ear tis-nes takes place when the joys of the swimming pool have been indulged in for several hours at a time, of in some eases even for shorter per~ ods. When the tissues are soft they are highly susceptible to any kitd of infection, from the mildest to the most virulent. This, accord-cants for the infections. which tt ing to one Shanghai physician, acup as an aftermath of swimming sometimes, but which cannot be a cribed really to impurities in the water of the swimming bath.
'A aystem of chlorination is used by all the swimming baths. supervised by the Shanghai Munieipat Council Health Department, and, this sufficiently effective to purity the water and remove any danger of infections on that score. At Hongkew Public Swimming Bath, a now filtration plant is being tested the present time, which it is believed will succeed the present chlorination system and will have fan equally cleansing effect without. leaving the faint odour of chlorine now detected when this chemical ts used, The Public Health service have ascertained that chlorinattoi: acts as a complete disinfectant of public baths and at the same tims ciges not injure nose, throat or ear tissues. Hence any infection of fears which may occur would appear to be due to softening of the inner tissues from long periods of contact with water.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.