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49
into St. Ann's General Hospitals. Both the old lady and her
daughter subsequently died, the daughter having been removed
by the duly authorised officer.
(3) For some time the department kept under observation the case
of an old lady living alone in a ground floor flat. She was
very bent and had badly ulcerated legs - she moved around with
great difficulty. The rooms were littered with parcels and
oddments which she alleged she was sending to friends. When
it was suggested that she should go into a residential home
she refused. It was finally decided to make an application
to the court-this succeeded, and the old lady was taken into a
residential home. She has been visited on a number of occasions.
She has been in bed since the day of her admission.
Public Health Laboratory Service.
The Public Health Laboratory Service provides a comprehensive
service for the bacteriological examination of specimens submitted
by general practitioners and local authorities.
The existing system for the supply of containers and the delivery
of specimens by the Public Health Department remains unchanged.
Specimens may be sent to the Public Health Department,
and providing they reach there not later than 3.0p.m. on Monday to
Friday, and 11.0a.m. on Saturday, they will be sent on the same
day by special messenger to the Hornsey branch laboratory. As
it is not possible to send a second messenger on any one day, it
is essential that specimens be delivered to the Town Hall before
the times stated. Alternatively, specimens may be sent direct to
the Hornsey laboratory, which remains open until 5.0p.m. on Monday
to Friday, and 12 noon on Saturday. The address is:-
Public Health Laboratory,
Coppett's Wood Hospital,
Coppett's Road, N.10.
A 24-hour emergency service is maintained by the Central Laboratory
at Colindale.
The following is a summary of the workcarried out during 1950,
namely:-
Record of Examinations
Throat/Nose Swabs: Total Specimens 1,115
Diphtheria Bacilli 3
Haemolytic Streptococci 194
Vincent's Angina 5
Negative 913