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001 76117
003 UtSlPG
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040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aGV
100 1 _aDudgeon, R. E.
_q(Robert Ellis),
_d1820-1904
245 1 4 _aThe swimming baths of London
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2025
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
500 _aRelease date is 2025-05-19
508 _adeaurider, David Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
520 _a"The swimming baths of London by R. E. Dudgeon" is a pamphlet-length public health essay and urban survey written in the late 19th century. The book examines swimming as a hygienic exercise, critiques London’s bathing facilities, and argues for purpose-built open-air freshwater swimming baths as a civic necessity. Dudgeon begins by explaining the health benefits, pleasures, and practical uses of swimming—especially in cool, open air, natural-temperature water—and clarifies common dangers and misconceptions (such as “cramp”) while urging prudent habits. He then surveys London’s cold plunge baths and numerous tepid indoor swimming baths in detail, noting dimensions, cleanliness, depth, lighting, ventilation, pricing, and shortcomings, and he criticizes the lack of secure changing spaces and true open-air options. Turning to the Serpentine and Victoria Park lakes, he describes their limited access and sanitary issues, before proposing large, well-designed open-air baths in several parks (including Hyde Park, Victoria Park, St. James’s, Regent’s Park, and Battersea), with ample depth, sun and air, constant water renewal, spring-boards, numbered lockable boxes, modest fees, and all-day opening. He calls for lifesaving instruction, urges proper provision for women swimmers, and challenges the automatic preference for sea-bathing, concluding that modern open-air freshwater baths would enhance health, recreation, and safety for Londoners. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
534 _pOriginally published:
_cLondon: Henry Turner and Co, 1870
653 _aSwimming
653 _aSwimming pools -- England -- London
856 4 _uhttps://archive.org/details/b22305622
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76117
999 _c116842
_d116842