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in the County are satisfactory and it was therefore hoped that
advantage would have been taken by the County Council of the
authority contained in the circular to make these arrangements
with the general practitioners which would so substantially help
to bring treatment within the reach of those affected. It seems
that the County Council considered that the scheme was for
application for rural areas only. Nevertheless it is gratifying to
learn that the County's arrangements are to be materially improved
in due course by the establishment at three of the County's hospitals
of Venereal Diseases Clinics.
LABORATORY FACILITIES.
As mentioned in last year's report examination of clinical
material has been undertaken at the laboratory forming part of the
services organized by the Medical Research Council. During the
year the laboratory moved into London from the premises at which
they had been temporarily housed. Nevertheless, the transmission
of samples by the van which covers the sector served by the
laboratory ensures the early examination of articles and early
receipt of reports, a factor of importance in the case of diphtheria
swabs. Because of difficulties of transmission the services of the
laboratory are being used to a greater extent than formerly as
routine bacteriological examination of milk samples is now undertaken
at these laboratories, while advantage is taken, too, of the
service for the examination of samples of water from premises
served by water mains which have been or may have been damaged
as a result of enemy action. In this regard it seems that some
change occurs which results in a temporary addition of some, even
though relatively small, numbers of organisms to the water for
a period extending some two or three weeks and that the lapse
of a period of time is required before the restoration of the quality
of the water to that ordinarily obtaining.