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is directed by the Medical Research Council, and apart from examinations
of nose and throat swabs, sputum, faeces, urine, blood, cerebrospinal
fluid, exudates, swabs from situations other than the nose and throat,
washings of infected cavities, hair and scales for ringworm, biopsy
material for trichina larvae and so on, provision is also made for the
examination of water, shellfish, sewage, milk, icecream, retail food and
certain other materials.
Specimens from general practitioners are in the main sent to the
Town Hall and taken by messenger daily to the laboratory.
Samples of milk may be submitted by the Department for examination
for pathogenic bacteria in relation to suspected cases of outbreaks
of milkhorne disease ; for tubercle bacilli in certain cases and for grading
under the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations. Samples of icecream
are submitted for evidence of bacterial contamination and for grading,
whilst samples of food offered for sale are submitted for suitability for
human consumption, for pathogenic organisms and for evidence of
bacterial toxins in relation to outbreaks of cases of suspected food
poisoning.
The following summary relates to the work carried out by the
laboratory on behalf of the Council during 1951 :—
(1) Throat/nose swabs (4) Pertussis
Diphtheria bacilli 1 Cough plate -
Haemolytic streptococci 80 Postnasal swab —
Vincent's angina 2 Negative 2
Negative 182
Total 265 Total 2
(2) Faeces (5) Milk, etc.
Shigella 306 Pasteurised 10
Salmonella 15 Other 2
Protozoa 1 Icecream 36
Negative 785
Total 1,107 Total 48
(3) Sputum (6) Water
TB smear 3 Domestic supplies,
Other organisms - etc. 5
Negative 37 Swimming pools 8
Total 40 Total 13
(7) Miscellaneous* 223
1698
*Covers urine, blood counts, Widal reactions, Wasserman reactions and Kahn
tests, pregnancy tests, specimens of various types of food, Paul Bunnell tests
and vaginal swabs.