Conversation:

What a coincidence that this fine article the day after this question occurred to me

Whilst paddling furiously at the local swimming pool yesterday it occurred to me that thousands of people use them every day and every person in there, no matter how well they shower is putting a little muck into the pool. Hence the use of chlorine to kill off any bugs and thus prevent any disease spreading.

Now in Roman times as Bath is a testament, public bathing was also a tremendously popular pastime. However, the Romans as yet did not have the ability to generate chlorine in its elemental form.
So how did they keep their public baths hygenic?

Now I know they probably didn't connect dirt and squalor with cholera and typhoid and the like but even so, who would want to bathe in a dirty old bath? Seems to me that they must have had some way of doing this...

As the Roman Baths are due to a spring, the fresh water is constantly being replenished, whilst a facility is provided for the dirty water to be drained off.

Ah but this is presumably only the case at Bath itself (and a very few other places elsewhere I would guess) but surely not the norm.

So outside of Bath, what would have been done?

Hmm!. Pass. I may try to find out if I have time - but probably other Researchers will get there first.

Just visited your PS Orcus and noticed that you're an organic chemist - so added you to my list of 'Friends'..
There are quite a few chemists on hootoo. Often thought about creating a Community for ourselves.

Why thankyou

There is a Scientists groups knocking around which I am an erstwhile member, I'll see if I can track it down...

"Old Organic Chemists Never Die......... they just get completely "cracked". "

Courtesy of New Scientist, 22/09/83.


(Plus some other definitions!)

Indeed

Try here A2675469 but don't expect it to be busy.

Orcus; I'vre added that link to my PS. Might write s'thing to it to try and increase traffic.