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hospitals, clinics, maternity homes and other treatment centres. No
matter where the destination may be, the County Council is responsible
for the transport if the need arises within the county on medical grounds,
always provided the patient is not capable of travelling by public transport."
The County Council development plan provided for the building of
ten ambulance depots at various places throughout the county. All
ambulances and sitting case vehicles were to be used in these depots
which would cater for the needs of the surrounding districts. They
would also assist in the accident work if this became necessary in an
emergency, e.g., in the event of a train accident or aircraft crash. Of the
three of these buildings which have been erected one is in this district
at Imperial Drive. (Tel. No. : Pinner 7351.)
The hospital car service, operated jointly by the British Red Cross
Society, the St. John Ambulance Association and the Women's Voluntary
Services, provides cars and drivers, who give their services voluntarily,
and by arrangement with the County Council takes many patients
to and from hospitals and clinics.
LABORATORY SERVICE
The examination of clinical material of public health significance
is carried out free of cost to the patient and to the doctor at the Central
Public Health Laboratory, Colindale Avenue, London, N.W.9. (Tel. No.:
Colindale 7041.) In general, the examination is carried out of material
which will be of aid in the early diagnosis of infectious conditions, one
purpose of the laboratory being to carry out investigations of public
health significance. It is not intended that other clinical material shall
be sent, this work being carried out at the laboratories of certain hospitals.
The clinical material is collected each day by a van sent from the
laboratory calling about mid-day at the Harrow Hospital, Kynaston
Court, and the Central Fire Station, Pinner.
The following is a summary of the examinations of material from
this district, carried out during the year: nose and throat swabs, 268;
fasces, 71; sputum, 25; pertussis, 6; milk, 48; ice-cream, 94; and water,
3; miscellaneous, 163.