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13
SECTION B
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
Health Centre:
The Council continued to maintain the Health Centre for the
administration of the Public Health Services, and arrangements
continued in force for the use by the Regional Hospital Board and
by the London County Council of those portions of the building
which were occupied by services transferred to those bodies under
the National Health Service Act 1946. The Council also continued
to act as an agent for the Regional Hospital Board in respect of
certain services controlled by them.
There is no doubt that the Centre continues to be of value
to the public not only for the services available, but as a place
to which they may readily come for help and advice in regard to
many health problems.
Numerous individual visitors and organised parties both from
this country and overseas visited the Health Centre during 1959.
All reasonable requests to visit the Health Centre were
granted as the exchange of views and information thus afforded is
of mutual benefit.
Laboratory:
The laboratory in the Health Centre has been maintained
jointly with the Regional Hospital Board since 1948 and undertakes
the routine work of the Public Health Department in the control
of infectious disease and the bacteriological examination of milk
and other foodstuffs, and has operated in close association with
the Central Public Health Laboratory service in Colindale. In
addition it continues to undertake simple routine pathology on
behalf of the Chest Clinic, other clinics in the Health Centre
and of medical practitioners in the district.
A particular feature has been the large use made of the
facilities for the taking and examination of swabs for the early
diagnosis of Whooping Cough. This has been of particular value