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is to be continued in 1947 when a report will be made to the Association. Further
work has been done in conjunction with the British Launderers' Research Association
on the effect on cross-infection of the oiling of bed linen.
Research work has, however, had to be limited owing to the very heavy demands
on the staff for the routine work of the laboratories. The question of the adequate
staffing and accommodation for the whole of the laboratory service has received very
close attention during the year. As a result it is hoped that the proposals will
culminate in the addition of sufficient staff of all grades to the group and hospital
laboratories to enable time to be devoted by the pathologists to the more complex
problems of research.
Serum
Institute and
Belmont
Laboratories
As stated in the annual report for 1943, the Serum Institute and Belmont
Laboratories were leased to the Wellcome Foundation Ltd., for the period of the war
to meet the national emergency. In October, 1946, arrangements were made for the
termination of the lease of both premises on 10th April, 1947.
The agreement made in 1943 provided for the supply by the company of all
antitoxins, etc., necessary to meet the needs of the Council's hospitals. These
supplies were maintained throughout the year.
LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE
As the first complete year under peaceful, if not peacetime, conditions, 1946 was
a year of consolidation and steady progress rather than a period of far-reaching
changes. The increased demands on the accident section resulted in the total
emergency calls for the year, 56,971, being the highest yet recorded, surpassing the
previous record of 1938, by some 600 calls. These figures included the removal to
hospitals of booked maternity cases.
The Council decided that on and after 1st April, 1946, no charge would be made
to either patient or hospital for patients removed by the London Ambulance Service
from an address in the County of London to a voluntary hospital in the County,
except for those admitted to "pay" wards in which cases the existing charges would
continue. Previously all removals of patients to voluntary hospitals had been on a
pay basis. Transfer of patients from one voluntary hospital to another for admission
is included in the free service; but, owing to pressure on the existing resources of
the ambulance service, it has not yet been possible to extend the free facilities for
discharged patients in need of an ambulance on medical grounds, to out-patients
requiring treatment or removals to or from places outside London. From 1st April,
1946, to 31st December, 1946, 6,352 free removals were carried out under this
extension of free facilities.
At the same time as the above arrangements were approved, the Council agreed
that the practice of including a charge for the ambulance journey when assessing the
contribution to be paid by patients in the Council's own hospitals should be discontinued.
This provision became effective from 1st April, 1946.
The Council agreed that as from 1st June, 1946, certain of the Council's
domiciliary midwives should be provided with facilities for the administration of
nitrous-oxide and air analgesia to their patients. Two sets of apparatus are kept at
each of sixteen accident ambulance stations, and the London Ambulance Service is
responsible for conveying the apparatus to the address of the patient on application
by a Council midwife authorised to use the apparatus. A request for the apparatus
is treated as an emergency call, and 289 such calls were answered from 1st June to
31st December, 1946.
On and from 24th June, 1946, arrangements for smallpox removals, previously
provided only by the Eastern general ambulance station, were extended to the
North-Western general ambulance station.
The Council agreed to the transport of tuberculous persons in the boroughs of
Bermondsey and Southwark free of charge between their homes and the local