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
Merton and Morden 1940
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
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Laboratory Facilities. The arrangements with the Nelson
Hospital for carrying out such bacteriological examinations as
swabs and sputa continue to work satisfactorily. In addition,
the Emergency Medical Service Laboratory at Kingston has
proved of great assistance in carrying out more complicated
investigations such as material from suspected food poisoning
and isolation of the typhoid dysenteriæ group in food or fæces.
The following examinations were made during the years under review:—
| Examinations. | No. Performed. | Positive Result. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | |
| Swabs for diphtheria bacilli | 320 | 304 | 270 | 14 | 17 | 8 |
| Sputum for tubercle bacilli | 100 | 89 | 87 | 11 | 9 | 3 |
| Blood for Widal test | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| Fasces | 12 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Swabs for Meningococci | 5 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — |
AMBULANCE FACILITIES.
Infectious Cases. For the removal of infectious cases two
ambulances are provided by the Wandle Valley Joint Hospital
Board for use within its administrative area including this
district. No difficulties have been experienced in securing the
prompt removal of any infectious case.
Non-Infectious Cases. For the removal of non-infectious
and maternity cases, the district council provides one ambulance.
This vehicle will accommodate two stretcher cases and
two sitting cases. It used to be housed at the Fire Station in
Kingston Road, but on the formation of the National Fire
Service it was handed over to the Civil Defence to be manned
by their personnel and a garage has been built at the Morden
Recreation Depot, where it has been kept since. In addition
the Civil Defence sitting case cars are available for use for
Maternity cases when the ambulance is not available. An
application has been made for this to be extended to cases
other than maternity as a considerable number of minor cases
such as accident cases treated as out-patients and not needing
in-patient treatment, could be taken home by sitting case ears
thus easing the burden on the accident ambulance. This was,
however, refused.
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