London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lewisham 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
28
Laboratory facilities
The following summary relates to the work carried out by the
public health laboratory on behalf of the Council during 1957 :—
Table 19
| Specimens | Number | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Faeces | 518 | Negative |
| 134 | Positive - Shigella sonnei | |
| 3 | ,, Shigella flexneri | |
| 21 | „ Salmonella typhimurium | |
| 6 | „ Salmonella enteritidis | |
| 4 | „ Salmonella cholerasuis | |
| 3 | „ Salmonella paratyphi B | |
| 12 | „ Salmonella heidelberg | |
| 2 | „ Bact. coli, type 0 26 | |
| Urine | 51 | Negative |
| Nose swabs, throat swabs, etc. | 105 | C. diphtheriae was not isolated from any of these specimens. |
| Sputum, for organisms | 33 | |
| for tubercle bacilli | 13 | Negative |
| 3 | Positive | |
| for malignant cells | 1 | Negative |
| Foods (including 1 school meal) | 7 | |
| Icecream | 1 |
Swimming baths
The following is a summary of samples taken by the health
department staff for submission to the public analyst for examination
of chlorine content and to the Public Health Laboratory Service for
bacteriological examination: —
Chlorine
content Bacteriological
examination
Bellingham 5 -
Downham 5 -
Forest Hill 5 -
Ladywell 1 -
Private baths 3 4
A detailed report on the use of breakpoint chlorination, which is
the method employed at the baths, was included in my annual report
for 1950.
National Assistance Act, 1948 — section 50
During the year the Council accepted responsibility for the burial
of 3 persons, but at no net cost to the Council.