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34
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 6041 and 4081).
Many of the samples submitted are throat swabs which are examined
for the presence of organisms of diphtheria or of the hæmolytic streptococcus.
Another group of samples is of dejecta for the presence of
organisms of the typhoid fever, dysentery or food poisoning group.
Specimens of sputa are submitted for examination for the presence of
tubercle bacillus. Blood serum is sent for examination of the reaction
indicating the infection of the body by the typhoid group. Cough plates
are examined for the presence of the organisms of whooping cough. 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.
The laboratory also carries out the routine bacteriological examination
of such foods as milk or ice-cream, and examines other foodstuff considered
possibly to have been the source of food poisoning. The staff of the
laboratory also carry out investigations in the field in various outbreaks,
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 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 119,
faeces 337, sputum 10, miscellaneous 4.
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 especially 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, made by dialling
999.
The County Council development plan provides for the building often
ambulance depots at various places throughout the county. All ambulances
and sitting case vehicles are to be housed in these depots which will cater
for the needs of the surrounding districts. They would also assist in
accident work in an emergency. One of these buildings is in this district
at Imperial Drive (Tel. No. Pinner 8900).