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9
SECTION B
General Provisions of Health Services
1. (i) Public Health Officers.
The staff of the Public Health Department is as shown in
the preface to the report. Changes of staff during the year
have been recorded in the preface.
(ii) Laboratory Facilities.
During 1949 bacteriological examinations were carried out
by Dr. D.S. Murray at the Laboratory, 37 Coombe Road, as part
of a pathological service administered by the South West
Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. In addition, the Ministry
of Health Laboratory at Epsom is available for consultations and,
if an occasion should arise, for the investigation of any important
outbreaks of disease.
Bacteriological examinations of milk are also undertaken by
the Ministry of Health Laboratory, Epsom, and samples under the
Pood and Drugs Acts are submitted to the Public Analyst.
(iii) Ambulance Facilities.
Ambulance facilities are now provided by Surrey Ambulance
Service.
(iv) Hospitals.
(a) Infectious Diseases.
The responsibility for hospitalisation of infectious disease
cases lies with the South Western Metropolitan Regional Hospital
Board, and admission is now effected by direct contact with the
Tolworth Isolation Hospital whenever possible. This hospital
is intended to serve the district as an isolation unit and now
comes under the direction of the Medical Superintendent of
Kingston Hospital.
On occasions, when beds are not available, admittance is
arranged with the South Middlesex Hospital, and in the event of
beds not being available there, the removal is put into the hands
of the South Western Branch of the Emergency Bed Service which
operates in conjunction with the Local Authorities and Hospital
Boards. During the year 74 infectious disease cases were sent
to hospital for treatment, or diagnosis, as follows:-
To
Wimbledon Isolation Hospital. 7
Tolworth Isolation Hospital 49
South Middlesex Hospital 8
The Western Hospital 1
TOOting HOSPital 1
Kingston Hospital 2
Hendon Hospital 1
Cuddington Hospital 1
Ottershaw Hospital 1
Wandle Valley Hospital 1
Victoria Hospital for Children, Chelsea 1
Hospital for Tropical Diseases 1