London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wimbledon 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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SECTION B. - GENERAL PROVISION OF
HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA
LABORATORY FACILITIES
The Ministry of Health Public Health Laboratory at Epsom is available for
the examination of samples of milk, ice cream and water and of any pathological
specimens. Considerable use is made of these facilities by the Public
Health Department. In addition, the staff is always available to assist the
Medical Oficer of Health in field investigations in the case of epidemics or
outbreaks of food poisoning.
The Laboratory at the Nelson Hospital, Merton is also used for the
examination of pathological specimens, and the Central Public Health Laborator
at Colindale, N.W.9. is available for advice, special immunising agents and
special investigations.
All examinations carried out at these Laboratories are available to the
Corporation free of cost.
The following is a summary of the examinations made during the year
| Nose and throat swabs | 8 |
| Faeces for the typhoid and dysentery groups | 106 |
| Ice-cream samples | 51 |
| Milk samples | 91 |
| Water samples | 69 |
| Miscellaneous | 1 |
| Total | 326 |
Samples of milk and water requiring chemical analysis, and also Food and
Drug samples are sent by the Corporation to the Public Analyst, D.D. Moir, M.Sc.,
F.R.I.C., Southwark Street, S.E.1. Biological examinations of milk are carried
out at the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene Laboratory, Queen
Square, W.C.1.
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