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LABORATORY FACILITIES
Certain pathological and allied work of the Council, e.g., examinations of swimming
bath water, samples of food in suspected food poisoning cases, specimens from
the abattoir, and ice cream tests, are carried out by the Public Health Laboratory
Service. Further details are given under the respective headings elsewhere in the
report.
Examination of specimens of human origin (mainly swab examinations) for the
general practitioners of the Borough is undertaken by the Woolwich Memorial
Hospital. During the year 245 such examinations were carried out. Details are
as follows:—
Sputum 46
Nasal and throat swabs 155
Faeces 41
Stools 3
PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
Woolwich—London's second largest Borough with an area of over 8,000 acres
—is indeed fortunate to have so many parks and open spaces. There are no less
than 923 acres of public open spaces within the Borough, or 6 acres of open space
for each 1,000 of the population.
The Borough Council has been one of the foremost of Metropolitan Boroughs
in securing public open space for the enjoyment of its residents. Sixteen open
spaces of considerable size belonging to the Borough Council and the London County
Council are maintained throughout the area. These include Plumstead and Eltham
Commons, Avery Hill, Eltham Park, Bostall Heath and Bostall Woods ; Castlewood,
Jack Wood and Oxleas Wood at Shooters Hill, (a continuous expanse of woodland
some 312 acres in extent), Well Hall Pleasaunce, Rockcliff Gardens, Sutcliffe Park,
Eltham Green, The Tarn, Plumstead Gardens, and Queenscroft Recreation Ground.
There are 15 children's recreation grounds in the Woolwich area, a fact which
must play a considerable part in giving healthy outdoor exercise and in keeping
children off the busy roads,
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Kentish Independent (T.U ) Woolwich, SE.18