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however, this substantial contribution is forthcoming,
the gradual ageing of the population of these islands
will continue to present a problem, a pitiable problem,
which none of us can afford to neglect.
Hospitals.
The remarks contained in my Annual
Report for 1959 relating to the hospital services
available to Friern Barnet remain more or less unaltered
The admission of infectious diseases cases
mostly to Coppetts Wood Hospital, together with the
admission of acute medical or surgical cases to general
hospitals, present no real problem. Unfortunately, a
I have just remarked, it is still difficult to obtain
the admission to hospital of aged persons who are' not
acutely ill. I endeavour to assist any general
practitioner who asks for help, and am happy to say
that the support which I have been able to give has,
in many instances, proved successful.
So far as other hospital admissions are
concerned, I would repeat that little difficulty exists,
except that the admission to hospital of pregnant women
presents something more of a problem than was the case
a few years ago. This is not so much due to the lack
of beds, as to a lack of staff, a difficulty which has
tended to increase year by year. Here again, the
provision of adequate housing would go very far towards
solving this problem.
Laboratory Facilities.
As in past years, the Central Public
Health Laboratory Service has been of the greatest
assistance to us, not only the Central Laboratory at
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