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40
Group
laboratories
Pathological laboratory service
The number of examinations (including post-mortem examinations) completed
in the group laboratories during the year ended 31st December, 1944, compared
with the year 1943, is given below:—
Group laboratory
1944
1943
Archway, Highgate 38,115 36,918
Lambeth 35,471* 41,930*
Lewisham 32,873 38,627
Joyce Green (subsidiary to
Lewisham), Dartford 11,121 15,279
Mile End 29,802 36,500
North-Western, Hampstead 51,027 59,050
St. Mary Abbots, Kensington 27,007 44,226
Southern, Dartford 12,613 16,149
Total 238,029 288,679
* Exclusive of 35,867 examinations in 1944 and 38,097 in 1943 undertaken for St. Thomas's V.D.
clinic by arrangement.
The number of post-mortem examinations carried out by the Central Histological
Laboratory staff during the year was 1,101 (1,215 in 1943) and the number of
histological examinations carried out was 26,512 (29,923 in 1943).
The year's work shows a total diminution of about 50,000 examinations,
occasioned by the evacuation of hospitals in July, referred to above. Several of the
group laboratories received fairly extensive damage during this period, particularly
those at Lewisham, Mile End and St. Mary Abbots Hospitals. This greatly
restricted activities.
Hospital
laboratories
The total number 01 specimens exammed in the hospital laboratories, as distinct
from the group laboratories, during the year was 230,935 (264,427 in 1943), and
2,430 post-mortem examinations (2,727 in 1943) were carried out in addition to
those bv the pathologists.
General
The Council continued the supply throughout the year of consumable laboratory
requisites and materials to Ministry of Health emergency laboratories in London and
the provinces. The whole of the culture media required by the British, Canadian
and United States Forces in Europe was also supplied from the Council's media
establishment.
During the year 19 students of the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine
attended for periods of one or two months each, at the group and histological
laboratories, Archway Hospital, for instruction in laboratory methods and postmortem
technique.
The Royal Society of Medicine held a meeting at Archway Hospital in November
at which interesting specimens were shown from some of the group laboratories.
LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE
The year 1944 was marked by an intensification of the demands for auxiliary
ambulances because of the renewal of air attacks, at first by piloted aircraft and
later by flying bombs and rockets. The attack in the months of February and
March made no heavy demands on the service, but was sufficiently severe to put
the personnel on their toes and to make clear the value of the operational training
which had been continuously maintained in the lull period. The Government's
preparations for a renewal of air hostilities, which subsequently proved to be
associated with the opening of the second front in Europe, also contributed to the
maintenance of the morale of the service; prominent among these preparations
was a scheme for reinforcing the civil defence services in London by resources from
the provinces, or conversely according to the nature of the enemy's retaliatory
measures. In the event, the London Ambulance Service proved adequate for all
requirements.