Report of the Director of Medical Services / British Guiana.

  • British Guiana. Medical Department.
Date:
[1939]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Report of the Director of Medical Services / British Guiana. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    38/40 (page 34)
    APPENDIX 1. SUMMARY OF THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CENTRAL MEDICAL LABORATORY, GEORGETOWN, FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st DECEMBER, 1939. The new laboratory was completed during the year and the old building vacated in September. The new premises are moderately well equipped but the site of the building is unfortunate. Routine Examinations. The total number of routine examinations done was 21,400 the following being a short summary of the most important. Reference should be made to the type¬ script report for full details. Blood.— 1. Parasitological. 2,878 films were examined of which 2,253 were negative. 283 showed sub-tertian malaria parasites, 262 benign tertian, 11 quartan and 63 micro-filaria. 6 mixed infections of benign and sub-tertian parasites were recorded. 2. Cultural. 364 samples were received for culture of which 314 were negative. Bad. typhosum was isolated from 49 and streptococcus pneu¬ moniae from one. 3. Hcematological. Total blood counts were done on 288 cases of which 4 were leukaemia, one monocytic, one myeloblastic, and two lymphatic. Differential counts alone were done on 62 cases, sedimentation rate on 53 and various examinations on 15. Blood grouping for transfusion was carried out on 120 individuals and direct matching of donor against recipient in 28. 4. Serological. The Khan test was done on 7,566 cases and Widal on 462. By far the most common organism agglutinated was bad, typhosum. 5. Biochemical. A total of 266 examinations was done comprising Glucose Tolerance Tests, Blood Sugar, Blood Urea, etc. Faeces.— 1. Microscopical. Negative findings were 893 out of a total of 1,501 speci¬ mens received. Ancylostoma accounted for 517 of the positive findings and entamoeba histolytica for 31. 2. Cultural. The vast bulk of cultural examinations were on specimens received from patients convalescent from the enteric infections in the isolation wards. Of 526 samples received bad. typhosum was isolated from 12 and bad. flexneri from 1. 3. Biochemical. 12 samples were received to be tested for occult blood and two for split and unsplit fats. Sputum.— 1. Tubercle bacilli were present in 195 specimens out of a total of 1,103 received. Urine.— 1. Microscopical 433 samples examined. 2. Cultural 233 ,, „ 3. Chemical. 519 „ „ 4. Kidney Function Tests 80. *1 Various Examinations.— 1. Throat Swabs. C. diphtheria was present in 50 out of 249 specimens. 2. Autopsies. 118 were performed. 3. Histological examinations, 114 specimens examined. 4. Vaccines. 44 sets of autogenous vaccines were made during the year as well as the usual stock of T.A.B., streptococcal and staphylococcal vaccines.