Leeches II 



with the stumps of fdled trees, etc. In some places considerable 

 areas of matted fihrous roots become detached, and buoyed up by the 

 water rose to the surface as floating islands (figure 7), leaving the 

 underlying soil exposed. Soft muddy bottoms filled with decaying 

 organic matter are found in the shallow coves and flooded bogs. 



The temperature of the shallower parts of the lake down to ten 

 feet ranged from 72° to 74°F., being from 2° to 6° below the sur- 

 face temperature. The flooded boggy area at the original pond site 

 had a lower bottom temperature ranging from 60° to 68°, the lowest 

 temperature being within the limits of the original pond and doubtless 

 due to the springs common there. 



Around the shores of Carr Pond are scattered the camps, number- 

 ing fourteen during the summer of 1919. The older camps are 

 mostly situated on the eastern shore of the body of the lake, while 

 the newer ones line both sides of the narrow handle-like extension 

 completed in 191 8. These camps are occupied for the most part by 

 hundreds of children of both sexes brought from New York City and 

 Brooklyn by various welfare organizations. Naturally a favorite 

 pastime is bathing (figure 9), and an important part of the discipline 

 consists in instruction in swimming. Most of the camps are provided 

 with swimming docks (figure ii), and those occupied by younger 

 children with safety cribs or stages built of wood weighted and held 

 in place by piles of broken stone. The report has been that bathers 

 were attacked and bitten by the leeches, thereby causing much 

 alarm among the more timid, some of whom refused to subject 

 themselves to a repetition of the experience. Complaint among 

 the camp directors had become so general that the lake had 

 gained a bad reputation. As a means of estimating the 

 importance of the problem all of the camp directors were inter- 

 viewed immediately after my arrival. As a result several points 

 became clear. No cases of actual serious injury were reported. One 

 case was described of a girl (probably a natural "bleeder") in 

 whom the hemorrhage from a bite continued for several days, until 

 it became necessary to take her to New York City for medical treat- 

 ment. In another instance one of several girls who were swimming 

 beyond their depth became so panic-stricken on discovering a leech 

 attached to her body that she lost self-control, sank and was rescued 

 only with some difficulty. In most cases the attacking leech is pulled 

 off, dispos'sd of, and the incident quickly forgotten. Any detrimental 

 effect was in general psychological rather than physical. It was 

 noticeable that complaint was much more general and vigorous among 

 directors of girls' than of boys' camps. Although leeches were little 

 more familiar to the boys than to the girls, the former as a rule 

 quickly learned their harmlessness and gave them little heed, regard- 

 ing their attacks as merely of passing interest. Moreover, in many 

 cases the widespread belief that leeches suck out the bad blood only, 

 and are therefore beneficial, led many of the boys to consider a bite 

 an asset rather than a liability. With the girls however, it was 

 different. They regarded the leeches with disgust and horror, and 



