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Maternity Hospital Accommodation.—The Council has an
arrangement with the Purley War Memorial Hospital whereby the
Council has the call on three beds. If accommodation permits additional
cases can be admitted. While under this Scheme 61 cases were confined
at this Hospital during the year 1938 an additional 10 cases were
admitted to Queen Charlotte's Hospital, London, and 64 to the County
Hospital, Redhill.
BACTERIOLOGICAL WORK.
The examination of swabs for diphtheria and sputa for tuberculosis
is carried out by the Medical Superintendent of the Wandle Valley
Isolation Hospital, and during the year the following number of specimens
were examined:-
Swabs for diphtheria 162
Sputa for tuberculosis 48
In addition, an arrangement exists whereby other specimens, the
examination of which is of importance to the Public Health, are examined
by the Pathologist to the Croydon General Hospital.
Under this arrangement the following 11 specimens were examined
during 1938:—
Widal examinations for enteric fever 6
DISINFECTION.
The disinfection of bedding, etc., is undertaken by the Wandle
Valley Isolation Hospital Board while the disinfection of premises is
carried out by the Officers of the Public Health Department.
For the convenience of ratepayers, the Council has decided to provide
for disinfection even when this is not essential in the interests of public
health, but in these cases charges will be made of 10s. 0d. per load
of bedding, etc., 5s. Od. for the first room, and 2s. 6d. for each additional
room disinfected at the same time.
During the year the following disinfections were carried out:—
Free of cost. Charged for.
L,oads of bedding, etc. 116 1
Houses disinfected 118 1
LABORATORY FACILITIES.
During the year the Council considered the possibility of an
independent laboratory being set up locally, chiefly for the examination
of water and milk samples. The views of adjoining Authorities were
sought, and a meeting of their representatives called in October. A
Sub-Committee of five of the local Medical Officers of Health was
appointed to prepare a detailed scheme for consideration by a further
Conference, but no decision had been reached by the end of the year
under review.
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