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45
It is not intended that other clinical material shall be sent, this
work being carried out at the laboratories of certain hospitals. The
laboratory does not deal in the ordinary way with the examination of
specimens of those suspected to be suffering from venereal disease,
which are sent to hospitals which provide clinics for the treatment of
those suffering from these diseases.
Apart from the examination of this clinical material, the laboratory
also carries out the routine bacteriological examination of such foods
as milk or ice-cream, and examines other foodstuffs considered possibly
to have been the source of a food poisoning. The staff of the laboratory
also carry out investigations in the field in the case of various forms of
outbreak, however spread.
Another service provided by the laboratory is the issue of certain
preparations such as lymph for vaccination against smallpox, and
antigens for the immunisation of the population against diphtheria.
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 142,
faeces 64, sputum 39, miscellaneous 6.
AMBULANCE SERVICE
Although the County Council decided that the Fire and Ambulance
Service should be run as one combined service, the combination of the
two services is limited to organisation and administration. Fire appliances
are manned by firemen specially enrolled and trained for that purpose,
and ambulances are manned by ambulance driver/attendants and
attendants.
"Ambulances specially equipped to deal with accidents and similar
emergencies are kept at 28 fire stations throughout the county. These
ambulances and their crews, who are trained in first-aid, are always
ready to respond immediately to accident and emergency calls. A call
which is received at a station when the ambulances are away attending
other calls is instantly transmitted to a control centre from which the
nearest available ambulance is ordered to answer the call.
"Sick removal cases far outnumber accident cases. Many vehicles
carry out the day to day task of transporting sick persons to and from
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 housed in these depots
which would cater for the needs of the surrounding districts. They
would also assist in 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