EJ.—3l.

SECTION 5.—BACTERIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES. Table showing Public-health Work performed in Bacteriological Laboratories during the Year ended 31st December, 1925.

Particulars of Work carried out at the Government Vaccine Station, Wellington, DURING THE YEAR ENDING 31ST MARCH, 1926. Calves inoculated, 27 ; calves used, 20 ; calves rejected, 7. Lymph prepared sufficient for 21,328 tubes ; lymph issued in tubes, 7,114 ; amount of lymph in stock sufficient for 10,784 tubes ; number of tubes in stock, 400. Since the 31st March an additional quantity of lymph (about 12,000 tubes) has been prepared, and a supply of 500 tubes has been issued to each of the three centres. SECTION 6—GENERAL. During the year an endeavour has been made to strengthen the clerical, accountancy, and Senior Inspector staffs, pf the District Health Offices, in order to relieve the Medical Officers of Health from minor duties and enable them to function more fully throughout- their large districts as advisers of the local governing authorities in matters affecting the public health. This is being brought about by the reapportionment of the duties of existing officers and by occasional transfers — not by new appointments. In consonance with the Health Act and in accordance with the Department's policy several of the larger local governing authorities have during the year appointed certificated Sanitary Inspectors. Thus the number of Health Inspectors employable by the Department will steacjily reduce, and the .local authorities will gradually undertake their own sanitary inspections. As this proceeds the need for looal supervision by each Medical Officer of Health and his Senior Inspector increases, in order to maintain a uniform standard throughout the Dominion. This form

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Number of Examinations carried out. Positive. Negative. Specimens. ! . , • *. 2 -d p ! aj PS 5 q 1 3 .'Ecg -d a So 5 o a 'S> I | ill if g? ! ! I I I | I § s | f i II I § ifliiB.fi § | i g 5 s H 8 R ? I i i Diphtheria diagnosis .. 6 77 73 63 6 94 20 989 249 289 81 61 684 316 90 314 616 179 7,650 1,765 3,608 515 Diphtheria clearance .. 6 .. 95 14 7 348194 .. 112 424 144 23 .. 415 264 13 1,200 363 .. 360 1,154183 Tuberculosis— Sputum .. .. 234 108 157 11 100 62 8 286 65 154 42 156 511 444 102 465 ! 376 67 1,043 475 585 194 Cerebro-spinal menin- 1 6 16 5 4 39 1 58 7 24 49 5 gitis fluid Urine .. .... 1 1 .. 2 .... 6 36 15 1 10 13 32 4 91 30 .... 332 354 20 Pleuritic fluid 5 6 2 6 2 37 14 2 19 51 40 3 Faeces .. 2 2 1 18 9 .. 16 24 43 5 Other material 13 .... 1 6 32 2 4 3 5 2 31 13 1 31 29 96 11 Typhoid-fever diagnosisAgglutination tests .. 1 16 38 17 30 10 .. 16 26 9 4 16 29 60 12 151 35 3 138 67 73 7 Blood culture 3 2.. 1 8.. 1 2 6 37 5 6 5 6.. 23 61 1 Fasces .. .... 1 .. 1 8 .... 2 6 4 .. .. 21 16 3 47 7 2 14 72 33 4 Urine .. ..j 4 .. 3 4 2 2 Typhoid-fever clearance— j Faeces .. 1 1 2 3 1 .. .. 2 67 35 22 9 .. 16 30 .. 3 Urine . . 3 5 3 .... 2 2 3 68 19 15 6 .. 17 42 12 2 Cerebro-spinal-fever diagnosis— Swabs .. .. 1 .. 1 .. .. 1 5 .. 2 1 7 11 .. .. 11 Cerebro-spinal fluid .. 1 8 3 4 1 .. 6 2 1 .. 10 3 .. 4 .. 7 Cerebro - spinal - fever 4 clearance—swabs Gonorrhoea .. .. 10 61 17 17 93 62 28 778 199 57 26 12 234 91 26 177 98 40 941 221 292 41 Ophthalmia neonatorum .... 2.. 1.... 22.. 2 7 2 .. 11.. 5 1.. 45 1 7 5 gonococcus Syphilis, spironema, 3 .. .. 1 .. 2 .. .. 3 .. .. 13 .. 11 8 pallidum Syphilis, Wassermann .. 137 1 .. 88 .... 495 141 569 .. .. 600 1 .. 535 .. .. 1,481 564 reaction Hydatid disease 17 .. 2 3 30 58 1 1 3 2 41 2 3 71 .. 5 Vincent's angina .. .. 16 7 .. 21 .... 8 8 13 .. 2 .. .. 6 Leprosy .. .. .. 1 .... 1 4 .. .. 63 Anthrax .. .. .. .. 1 Tetanus .. 2 .. .. 1 1 1 Anchylostomiosis i Actinomycosis 1 2 Others .. .... 7 6 2 15 .... 7 513 .. 8 .. 2 17 3 7 2 .. 7 410 .. 8 Plague-extermination of 12,022 .. 679 868 rats Poliomyelitis .. .. 1 21 82 1 .. 6 65 j 33 63 Puerperal sepsis .. .. 4 .... 1 4 1 9 ..j.. .. 1 1 * New Plymouth returns from August only.