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Section B—Health Services.
Laboratory Facilities
The Public Analyst appointed by the Council is Mr. D. D. Moir, 16,
Southwark Street, London, S.E.I, to whom samples of food, drugs and
water are submitted.
Clinical material in respect of infectious disease is examined by the
Hospital Laboratory Service, chiefly at the St. Helier Hospital. Investigation
of specimens in cases of food poisoning and the bacteriological
examination of milk and water is carried out at the Public Health Laboratory
at Epsom. Biological testing of milk for tubercle bacilli is done at the
Guildford Public Health Laboratory.
The following examinations were made during the year :—
Blood 3
Nose and Throat Swabs 6
Faeces Specimens 348
Rectal Swabs 3
Water (Public Supply):
For chemical analysis 2
For bacteriological examination 4
Water (Swimming Bath):
For bacteriological examination 12
Food and Drugs :
Analysis 264
Bacteriological examination of milk 173
Bacteriological examination of ice cream 87
Vaccination and Immunisation
The County Council has the responsibility for formulating schemes of
vaccination and immunisation under Section 26 of the National Health
Service Act. The diseases against which arrangements have been made for
such prophylactic treatment are—smallpox—diphtheria—whooping cough
—tetanus—poliomyelitis and tuberculosis. The schemes in respect of the
first four mentioned diseases are directed locally by the District Medical
Officers of Health, by agreement with the County Council; that in respect
of poliomyelitis is directed by the Divisional Medical Officers, who also
operate the arrangements for Mantoux testing and B.C.G. vaccination
against tuberculosis of the thirteen-year-old schoolchildren.
More recently the County Council propose to establish a centre in
Kingston-upon-Thames for vaccination against yellow fever on the basis of
the cost of this service being recovered from the persons availing themselves
of it. This will be part of the Ministry's plan to set up about 40 such centres
throughout England and Wales.
Details of the work done under these arrangements are given in
Section F.
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