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EXAMINATION FOR PATHOGENIC BACTERIA.
Any medical practitioner desiring examinations of specimens for Pathogenic
Bacteria in cases of suspected infectious disease occurring amongst their patients
residing in the City, should forward them to the Medical Officer of Health at the
Guildhall. Arrangements have been made for free examination, and the results
obtained are communicated as speedily as possible.

Of the 65 swabbings from throats, 59 were received from the Central Foundation
School for Girls, Spital Square, E.C. These swabs were sent to the City
Pathologist in accordance with the arrangements between the City Corporation
and the London County Council. This school is situate partly in the City and
partly in the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, and pupils attend from many
parts of the East and North-East of London, and also Boroughs and Urban districts
in Essex and Middlesex.
It is obvious that in the event of an outbreak of Diphtheria at this school,
local investigations are facilitated if the school medical officer is able to obtain
examination of swabbings from one area only, instead of having to submit such
swabbings to each area from which children attend, and, in view of this fact,
the Corporation decided to undertake the examination of all swabbings from this
school without charge to the school authorities.
MEDICAL TREATMENT.
Provision for medical treatment is becoming increasingly the responsibility
of Public Health Authorities, and Sir George Newman's valuable report on the
principles to be observed in co-ordinating the two great divisions of medicine—
preventive and curative—has aroused great interest in medical and administrative
circles.
This report, and an equally important contribution to work in this connection,
namely, the Maclean report on the transfer of functions of Poor Law Authorities
in England and Wales, has received the attention of the Sanitary and Special
Committees respectively.
The first result of Sir George Newman's report has been the reference to the
Consultative Council on Medical and Allied Services under the chairmanship of
Lord Dawson " To consider and make recommendations as to the scheme or
schemes requisite for the systematised provision of such forms of medical and
allied services as should be available for the inhabitants of a given area." This
committee has now reported to the Ministry of Health, and the resulting document
is of considerable interest. It was hardly to be expected that any strikingly original
idea would be put forward, and its great use lies in the fact that it has considered
all existing suggestions and has selected the best elements in these, and with
additions has framed an ideal scheme outlining the final organisation which should
be aimed at to secure that the best medical treatment shall be available for persons
requiring it. Criticism of the report is unnecessary since it is suggested that it
only deals with principles. On broad lines it is acceptable, but it would appear
to lack the practical touch, and expense alone would prevent any attempt to put
the scheme into immediate operation. The time has now arrived when the
important aspect of progressive development should be considered.
It is, of course, essential that medical treatment shall be so co-ordinated
that the many specialised branches of treatment may form one piece of smooth
running administrative machinery, but if the machinery provided is to be of
the greatest service, it is equally necessary that the means which will ensure the
masses availing themselves of the facilities shall also exist. Future organisation
must be such that will encourage cases of early illness to come under treatment
in the more certain remediable stages, and if treatment is to be a helpmate of