M(1)32
EXAMINATION IN CONNECTION WITH CLINICAL WORK.
As will be seen the amount of clinical pathological work carried out during the year is practically double that of previous years.
All reports signed and sent out by the Bacteriologist refer to specimens personally examined only.
The appended table (Table I) gives the various materials dealt with, the number of each, month by month, and the total. Under the heading "Miscellaneous" are included the examinations for Leprosy, Rideal Walker test for disinfectants, inoculations of animals, and the like which are only occasionally asked for.
The total number of specimens examined was 7548 as against 4514 in 1922.
EXAMINATION OF RATS FOR PLAGUE.
A naked eye post-mortem inspection is made of rats sent to the Victoria Mortuary daily.
A microscopical examination is made of ten per cent of all rats sent for inspection, the increase of plague infected rats detected this year over 1922 shows the value of the above system.
Number of rats inspected at the Victoria Mortuary was 64,808 as against 73,245 in 1922, but the number of plague infected rats was 8 which exceeds that of previous year by 6.
Detail results are embodied in Table II.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF WATER SAMPLES.
The number of water analyses carried out has very greatly increased as will be seen by the figures below. In addition six extra filtering plants have been taken on for regular examination.
In April, May, and June, a thorough investigation of the public water supplies was carried out by the Government Analyst and Government Bacteriologist, a large amount of very valuable data was obtained as a result of the above.
The findings with recommendations were forwarded to the authorities concerned in a special joint report. A permanent standard of purity has now been adopted and in the following tables (Tables III to XI) results of analyses are expressed accordingly.
The total number of samples examined was 336 as against 87 in 1922.