H.—3l.

SECTION S.—BAOTKRIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES. The facilities available in the Dominion for the bacteriological investigation of disease are being gradually extended. Apart from the main laboratories in the four centres, there are now six branch laboratories established in connection with the public hospitals of the subsidiary centres of the Dominion. The table below, which summarizes the work of a definite public-health nature performed in these laboratories, shows the importance and wide range of the examinations undertaken in these institutions.

Table showing Public-health Work performed in Bacteriological Laboratories during the Year ended 31st December, 1923.

18

Number of Exai ilnations carried out. Specimens. i a 3 a "4 a § «' %£ $ I 5 ! <S IS Positive. El t g -d 4 ft a 9 ! l P % W Fegative. # S.4 a II | I I l • f 3 S | I I I a i ■a a j I e 1 i I Diphtheria diagnosis . . 18 Diphtheria clearance .. 22 Tuberculosis — (Sputum .. .. : 42 Cerebro-spinal fluid .... Urine Pleuritic fluid Faeces Other material Typhoid fever diagnosis— Agglutination tests .. 10 Blood-culture . • 1 Fajoos Typhoid fever clearance— Faeces Urine Cerebro-spinal-fever diagnosis— Swabs Cerebro-spinal fluid .. I Cerebro-spinal-fever clearance swabs Gonorrhoea . . 12 Opthalmia neonatorum for gonocoeeus Syphilis, spironema, pallidum Syphilis, Wasserman reaction Hydatid disease Plague : Extermination of rats Vincent's angina Leprosy Anthrax Tetanus Lethargic encephalitis Actinomycosis Others ' .. .... 18 22 226 27 78 13 54 138 1,728 158 4 161 117 147 439 55 35 208 22 88 880 287 52 131735 39 40 438 210 360 8,566 486 1,330 2,740 381 273 328 70 42 99 I 46 13 108 45 225 .... 2 .. 2 I . . 5 10 .... 7 .. 8 7 .. .. 11 .. I 63 3 15 I 93 39 I I 10 2 .1 135 464 386 2 .. 12 21 11 33 3 2 22 3 1 2 5 .. i 3 81 1 5 2 1 3 509 43 116 73 19 37 210 730 7 29 33 64 17 15 6 47 646 19 220 94 11 17 343 204 20 13 98 92 32 1 69 18 11 3 4 .. 10 1 10 1 12 33 1.4 6 23 2 6 2 . . 33 6 14 2 o 6 17 5 .. I 24 52 62 5 5 47 12 15 10 27 8 3 157 10 27 25 349 45 16 12 12 . . 11 2 5 6 36 .. II 2 .. 11 7 2 1 1 25 5l 12 3 5 13 121 95 14 5 21 30 18 28 22 21 12 .. 2 2 4 7 5 2 1 2 2 5 4 46 5 1 5 10 6 7 1 14 3 i 2 1 I 12 41 3 7 2 2 31 40 775 13 40 121 74 1 14 23 164 5 (ill 15 26 1 117 1 52 934 21 52 254 151 3 14 1 2 1 1 1 3 4 12 4 2 3 113 SO 191 125 137 431 351 929 416 673 I 2 23 2 7 21 2 10,486j 1 2 40 1 6 . . 1,102 1 26 5 76 2 5 3 11 7 1 8 1 10 2 5 8 1 3 4 . . I. 2 3 1 J 1 2 i 18 4 3 "i 81 18 9 .. 15 24 25 11 4 i 27 2 32 6 4 * Retui rns Eor nil ne-mi anthlj y period on lly sh lown for Palmerston S vlortli i Lai >orat< iry. Note. —This report represer work, investigations, or reports 0 its in s >nty j lecimc part of thi her tl e work pel han those o rform. if a p ed at th< ublic-heai } above labor Ith nature. ■atori ies. It d. jes not include instruct] ional sns of