The Ol' Swimmin' Hole Gets a Healthy New Look

Abstract

H ow about a dip, Sammy? This invitation may bring to mind memories of hot summer afternoons and barefoot youngsters casually ambling over to the local swimmin' hole. But in Elmhurst, Illinois, a residential suburb 18 miles west of Chicago-population 21,300-swimming is not such a casual affair. Swimmers can congregate at the local swimming pool-but only after they have passed inspection by a registered nurse. Being swimming pool nurse was my job last summer. The routine check begins while the child is still clothed, before he goes to the cashier's window. (Adults undergo the same treatment although, of course, there are not so many of them.) The nurse considers first the child's general condition. She checks his eyes and ears for any discharges, feels for swollen cervical and parotid glands, peers into his mouth and throat. She looks over his upper and lower extremities to make sure that he has no abrasions, scabs, or rashes. The examination, per se, naturally is quite cursory. But even in a short period of time, the nurse who has had some practice is able to spot the children who should not be going swimming. In years past, nurses have turned away children who were later found to have measles and chicken