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The routine specimens examined fall under two main heads—(a)
medical specimens from general medical practitioners, hospitals and
local authorities and (b) sanitary specimens from local or food authorities
or by arrangement from private firms General practitioners, Medical
Officers of Health, School Health Officers and others are offered a comprehensive
bacteriological service for the diagnosis, treatment and
prevention of bacterial, virus and mycotic infections. The Sanitary work
includes the routine bacteriological examination of water, milk and cream,
of foods such as ice cream, artificial cream and shellfish, and of sewage.
The epidemiological work of the Service includes not only the
investigation of outbreaks of infectious disease, but also a study of the
distribution and behaviour of various infectious agents throughout the
country."
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 98:
faeces 179 ; sputum 5, and miscellaneous 12.
Another service provided by the laboratory is the issue of certain
preparations. "The following are available at the Colindale Laboratory:
smallpox vaccine, gamma globulin for the protection of susceptible
contacts of measles, rubella and poliomyelitis, diphtheria prophylactics,
anti-rabies vaccine and serum, and anti-typhus vaccine.
The Service does not issue therapeutic sera or anti-toxins, or T.A.B.
or cholera vaccine, or Schick test re-agents. Therapeutic sera and antitoxins
may be obtained from certain hospitals. T.A.B. and other vaccines
may be obtained from commercial firms through chemists' shops. Yellow
Fever vaccination is done only at centres designated by the Ministry ot
Health."
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 an
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.