The first lab, set up by Dr. Edward Shaw around 1940, was located in the old hospital. And as late as 1961, pregnancy tests were performed by injecting the patient's urine into an African frog. If it died, she was pregnant.

The laboratory relocated in 1965 shortly after the new hospital was built. And standard medical testing made serious headway. Today the lab is divided into five sections where technicians carry out various diagnostic testing.

"In the haemotology department, technicians analyse blood for haemoglobin content, count red and white blood cells, and perform tests to determine how the blood clotting mechanism is functioning,'' said Mrs. Wainwright. "They diagnose ailments like anaemia, leukemia and other blood disorders.'' The chemistry department technicians look for chemicals present in the body like sodium, potassium, chloride and blood gases. "They do tests involving the liver, kidneys, heart and heart enzymes as well as a host of others,'' said Mrs. Wainwright.

And in another section of the lab -- blood transfusions -- technicians perform compatibility tests on units of blood. "They try and match up patients' blood types,'' Mrs. Waniwright said.

Microbiology covers micro-organisms including fungi, bacteria, parasites and viruses. Essentially, according to Mrs. Wainwright, the department is concerned with pathogens which cause infection to man. "And in order to find them, technicians isolate bacteria and perform sensitivity tests,'' she said.

Histology and cytology also carry out diagnostic testing. But this department studies tissues and cells. "Histology covers the study of tissue like breast lumps,'' said Mrs. Wainwright. "And in cytology, technicians screen pap-smears and other fluids -- they're looking for malignant cells.'' The laboratory has quite obviously developed immensely since the 1960's. And African frogs are a thing of the past. Staffed by approximately 30 technicians, clerks and other personnel, the lab has expanded from a small branch in the old wing to a large and indispensable department.

"The lab's extremely busy,'' said Mrs. Wainwright. "Not only do we cater to in-patients but we accommodate patients sent to us from GPs on the Island.

And on average, the lab tests between 400 and 600 specimens a day,'' she added.

The laboratory is open 24 hours a day and runs in three shifts. "The majority of staff are on between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. And one technologist works in each division between 4.00 p.m. and midnight,'' said Mrs. Wainwright.

"Another technologist covers the entire lab for the late night shift.'' Twenty-four hour lab service is vital. If patients are admitted to emergency, doctors may require blood tests that are life saving. "Someone may need a blood transfusion in the middle of the night,'' Mrs. Wainwright said.

"Or in the intensive care unit, a patient may be in trouble for whatever reason. And ICU staff may need to run tests periodically,'' she said. "In order to administer drugs, doctors must know the patient's blood chemistry - it gives them a good idea of what's going on in the body,'' said Mrs.

Wainwright.

"Working in the lab can get very stressful,'' she added. "We conduct a lot of routine tests. But we must be prepared to run emergency tests immediately.'' IN THE LAB -- Medical laboratory technologist, Mrs. Sarah Barnard operating the Dacos in the Chemistry Laboratory, which runs routine blood tests for sugar, heart enzymes, liver enzymes and uric acid.