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Hospital. The ambulance service is carried out by the
members of the Erith Fire Brigade, and the men employed
are all thoroughly competent to render first aid
in any case of accident.
(6) Laboratory Work.
The Kent County Council has established at Maidstone
a County Laboratory to which various pathological
and bacteriological specimens may be sent by the
medical men practising in the District. Each medical
man is supplied with outfits for taking the necessary
specimens which are forwarded to Maidstone for examination,
and the result of this is sent both to the Medical
Practitioners, and to me, as Medical Officer of Health.
A fresh outfit is at the same time sent to the medical
man.

The 11 positive swabs in the case of Diphtheria Contacts
came from 8 children, one of whom was positive on
3 occasions, and another on two occasions, none of them
were showing any symptoms at the time, but one developed
an attack of Diphtheria a few days later.
Swabs are also sent from the Sanatorium for Infectious
Diseases in connection with the cases of Diphtheria
admitted there, and the number of these is given in the
section relating to that Hospital.
Antidiphtheritic Serum is kept at the office of the
Medical Officer of Health, and can be obtained by any
Medical Practitioner on application.
A small quantity of Antitetanic Serum is also kept,
but has not hitherto been required.