75

H.—3l

Bacteriological Laboratory, Wellington. Re port by Mr. J. A. Hurley, Government Bacteriologist, Wellington. 1 have flic honour to submit tabulated reports of the work carried onf at the Bacteriological Laboratory and at the Vaccine Station during the year ending the 31st March last. The number of examinations in the Bacteriological Laboratory shows an increase of 33 per cent. This has been the average increase for several years past. The work in the Vaccine Station presents a milch greater increase, and to keep up supplies of lymph there has often been a severe strain on the staff. This was especially the case during the epidemic of smallpox in the early part of the year, when the sudden demand for lymph was met without the employment of any extra assistance in the preparation of it. What this means is best shown by the fact that during the eleven weeks of the epidemic sufficient lymph was prepared to inoculate 734,000 persons. This amount does not include the lymph in stock when the first call for lymph to meet the epidemic was made. The lymph then in stock was sufficient to inoculate 60,000 persons, and was double the amount required to be in hand. To put the above facts on record is at least due to my staff, who. I have great pleasure in acknowledging, worked night and day with enthusiasm to carry out a seemingly impossible task. Summary of Work performed at ihe Vaccine Station for Year ending the 31st March. 1914. Calves inoculated .. .. .. . . .. .. .. 71 Total for 1913 .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Post-mortem of calves .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 Total for 1913 .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Bacterioscopical examination of Iviuph .. .. .. .. 153 Total for 1913 . . .. .. .. .. .. 54 Lymph prepared (cubic centimetres) .. .. .. .. .. 14,053 (sufficient for 1,006,480 inoculations) Total for 1913 .. .. .. .. .. ..23,158 Lymph issued sufficient for 347,614 inoculations.

Table showing Results of Examination of Pathological Specimens, 1st April, 1913, to 31st March, 1914.

• Object of Examination. Result. Positive. Negative. Material. Object of Examination. Total. Sputum Tubercle bacillus Other conditions Bacterioscopical examinations .. 137 214 402 41 539 255 86 Total for 1913 880 746 Purulent discharges Microscopical— For gonococcus „ tubercle bacillus.. ,, other pathogenic organisms Bacterioscopical examinations . . 27 10 204 211 52 30 35 2G 79 10 239 237 Total for 1913 .. 595 355 ■ Pleuritic fluid Microscopical— For tubercle bacillus.. „ other conditions.. Bacterioscopical examinations .. 3 5 12 14 2 4 17 7 16 Total for 1913 .. 40 34 Cerebrospinal fluid .. Microscopical Bacterioscopical 16 13 6 9 22 22 Total tor 1913 .. 44 . 31 Stomach-contents Total jor 1913 .. 7 5 Faeces Chemical Microscopical Bacterioscopical 2 6 5 14 7 20 4 Total for 1913 .. 31 36