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SECTION B. — GENERAL PROVISION OF
HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA.
LABORATORY FACILITIES
Almost all specimens requiring bacteriological examination in the
interests of public health are sent to the Ministry of Health Public
Health Laboratory at Epsom. In addition the staff is always available
to assist the Medical Officer of Health in field investigations in the case
of epidemics or outbreaks of food poisoning.
The Laboratory at the Nelson Hospital, Merton, is also available
for the examination of pathological material.

Samples of milk and water requiring chemical analysis, and also
Food and Drug samples, are sent by the Corporation to the Public
Analyst. Biological examinations of milk are carried out at the Royal
Institute of Public Health and Hygiene Laboratory.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936, PART IV. — NURSING HOMES.
The Wimbledon Borough Council is responsible for the registration
and supervision of Nursing Homes in the Borough. At the end of the
year there were six registered nursing homes providing a total of 92
beds. One maternity hospital and one nursing home were exempted,
on an annual basis, from registration under Section 192 of the Public
Health Act 1936.
Two certificates of registration were issued by the Council during
1957. One was in respect of a new Home for chronic medical cases and
the second was in respect of an existing nursing home which required to
be re-registered owing to a change occurring in the constitution of the
body carrying on the Home.
The nursing homes were periodically inspected and supervised.
Fourteen visits of inspection were made. Three were in connection
with applications for registration, seven were routine visits and four
special visits.
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