London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wimbledon 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
FOR THE AREA
Public Health Officers of the Local Authority.
A complete list of the Staff of the Public Health Department
is given at the commencement of this report.
Laboratory Facilities.
The number of specimens sent by medical practitioners for examination is shown in the following table:—
| Positive | Negative | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria Swabs | 26 | 481 | 507 |
| Tuberculosis (Sputum) | 7 | 121 | 128 |
| Typhoid (Blood, and other specimens) | ... | 21 | 21 |
| Dysentery | 3 | 34 | 37 |
| Other Specimens | ... | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 36 | 667 | 703 |
In addition to the above facilities, the laboratory provided
at the Health Centre is utilised for the examination
of pathological specimens from the Infectious Diseases
Hospital. This work is carried out by the staff of the Public
Health Department. Two thousand six hundred and three
specimens were examined in 1938. Most of these specimens
were swabs taken from the nose and throat of suspected
diphtheria patients or from contacts in the homes or schools.
The following additional specimens from the Hospital and Health Centre were also reported upon:—
| Urine Specimens | 173 |
| Smears | 2 |
| Cerebro-spinal Fluid | 1 |
Ambulance Facilities.
(i) For Infectious Diseases.—Two motor ambulances are
maintained by the Wimbledon Borough Council at
their Infectious Diseases Hospital, Gap Road, one for
the removal of infectious patients and the other for
disinfecting purposes.
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