British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 628

CHAPTER XVI.

quarantine laboratories are provided at Haifa, Jaffa and Bnei Braq ; these also cater for The diagnostic needs of the adjacent towns and districts. Clinical laboratories exist in Jerusalem Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Nablus and Safad. The Department exercises supervisory control over the laboratories and scientific institutes maintained by private persons and approves the issue of annually renewable licences to persons considered qualified to conduct them. Standards for the preparation and issue of therapeutic substances have been prepared and are rigidly enforced. During 1944 bacteriological examinations and investigations totalled 233 ,317.

(xxiv) To provide an analytical and consulting service for all Government Departments.

The staff of the chemical laboratories includes eleven qualified chemists. The bulk of the work is centralised in Jerusalem. Milk testing is, however, done in 12 centres. Provision is made in the Haifa and Tel Aviv Government hospitals for biochemical determinations. The work may be classified under the following main headings :- *

(a) Food and drugs for public health control, food control and military supplies.

(b) Local manufactures and imports for the assessment and control of customs and excise revenue.

(c) Biochemical specimens from Government and private hospitals and practitioners.

(d) Soils, fertilizers and waters for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Water Commissioner. (e) Criminal investigation.

The samples, specimens, and exhibits of all kinds dealt with in 1945 numbered 13,130.

As "Keeper of the Standards" the Government Chemist is also responsible for the control of weights and measures and the introduction of the metric system in progressive stages under the weights and Measures Ordinance of 1944. * By the end of 1915 180,000 new metric weights bad been manufactured, verified and distributed, and ten metric tons of incorrect weights had been seized. The work is carried out by mobile units which cover the entire country.

(xxv) To prepare calf-lymph, anti-rabic vaccine and other prophylactic and curative vaccines including anti-typhoid, anticholera and anti-plague.

The calf-lymph establishment, which was opened in 1924, forms part of the central laboratories and is situated in Jeru-
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* Laws of 1944, Vol. I, page 61.

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