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102
THE BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE ST. GILES DISTRICT,
197, High Holborn, W.C.
Clerk's Department.
23rd January, 1899.
Sir,
I am directed by the Board to inform you that they have
recently had under consideration the question of whether it was
desirable that they should make arrangements by which Medical
Practitioners in the District could obtain without expense to themselves,
or their patients, examination by a competent bacteriologist of
material from suspected cases of infectious diseases, with a view of
aiding the diagnosis where the same did not clearly disclose the disease
from which it was anticipated the person was suffering, and being of
opinion that it is of great importance in the interests of public health,
that every reasonable facility should be provided for promptly dealing
with even suspected cases of infectious disease, the Board have made
arrangements by which, in all cases where approved by the Medical
Officer of Health for this District, they will be enabled to secure an
examination of suspected matter at the Laboratory of the Conjoint
Board of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The conditions under which this examination will be made are as
follows :—
The examination will only be made on the written application of
the Medical Practitioner called in to attend on any patient; such application
to contain briefly the particulars of the case and to be transmitted
to the Medical Officer of Health at this address.
If the Medical Officer of Health is satisfied that the case is a proper
one for the Board to bear the expense of the examination, sterilised
tubes and swabs will be provided by him, and an order will be given
with which the tubes and swabs should be transmitted to the Laboratory
of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Examination Hall,
Victoria Embankment, W.C.
The fee will be paid by the Board.
The result of the examination will be communicated to the Medical
Practitioner through Medical Officer of Health, immediately on receipt
of the report from the Laboratory.
I enclose a memorandum prepared by the Medical Officer of Health
as to tho taking of suspected matter.