London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wimbledon 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
This page requires JavaScript
Ambulance Facilities:—
(a) For Infectious cases—two motor ambulances,
Isolation Hospital, Gap Road.
(b) For non-Infectious and Accidents—one motor
ambulance, Fire Station, Queen's Road,
under the Wimbledon Borough Council.
LABORATORY WORK.
Bacteriological examinations of pathological specimens and
the use of antitoxin were first undertaken in the Wimbledon
area about 1896.
The number of specimens of serum, sputum and blood
submitted for bacteriological examination during the year in
doubtful cases of diphtheria, pulmonary tuberculosis and
typhoid fever, and the result of such examinations are given
below.
Fifty-two bottles of anti-diphtheritic serum were supplied
through the Public Health Department for use by medical practitioners for the treatment of diphtheria.
The antitoxin syringe which is kept at the Fire Station, was borrowed on one occasion by a medical practitioner in the district.
| Bacteria Found. | Bacteria Not Found. | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria Secretion | 141 | 929 | 1070 | |
| Phthisis (Sputum) | 16 | 90 | 106 | |
| Reaction Obtained. | Reaction Not obtained. | Total. | ||
| Typhoid (Blood) | 3 | 28 | 31 | |
MORTUARY.
From information received from the Superintendent of the
Cemetery, there were 33 bodies received into the mortuary
during the year.
Inquests were held by the Coroner with respect to 27
bodies, equal to 6.1 per cent, of all deaths registered in the
Borough.
35