THE COLLEGE HOSPITAL.

The following account of the college hospital and the care of the sick at Harvard, written by a member of '83, appeared in a recent number of the Journal:

"On the north side of Holmes field at Harvard College is a little one-story yellow house which has often attracted attention, contrasting as it does so strongly with the large buildings which occupy the southern portion of the field. This little building is the college hospital, and, although small, it is yet perfect in all its arrangements. In 1874 the authorities felt the need of an institution of this sort in connection with the college, for twice in recent years the breaking out of a contagious disease had found the college unprepared for such an emergency. In the first of these cases the president had promptly thrown open his house to the sick student and had placed him there under the best of care. At the time of the second case of sickness, in 1874, the president was abroad, and his house being vacant was again put at the disposal of the sick man. The liability of such cases again occurring led to the erection of the college hospital. The hospital was built under the direction of prominent physicians, and is, accordingly, a model in every respect. Like all modern hospitals it is only one story in height, that being found to be the best for perfect ventilation and quick heating. There are two large rooms or wards, with two small rooms and bath-rooms adjoining. By this arrangement two different diseases can be treated here, and if occasion demands it eight students can be accommodated. In the basement is a kitchen with a cook stove and all necessary utensils, a laundry and cloacae. The house is heated by means of a furnace, and there are also fireplaces in each large room. These fires are always kept ready to be lighted, so that at a moment's warning the house can be warmed and made ready for occupants. Special beds and linen are kept for use here, and, when the hospital is used, are never carried from the house, so that all danger from spread of the disease by this means is avoided. When a student is taken sick with contagious disease he is immediately taken to this hospital. To convey him there the college possesses a closed sedan chair, which is taken directly into the student's room and then carried quickly across the field and into the ward of the hospital. The ill person is then at liberty to send for his own physician and nurses - there being no special college physician - and, if desired, his parents are at liberty to use the hospital as their own house. In the two cases of sickness which have occurred this year the hospital was so used.

Beyond this provision of a perfectly arranged hospital the college does not make, and, indeed, scarcely could make, any further provision. If at any time more cases of contagious sickness should occur than the hospital could hold, the college would be immediately closed. As a fact, there has never been any dangerous epidemic here during the college year. Seventy years ago, during the summer, an epidemic of typhoidal dysentery broke out among those students who were still occupying the dormitories, and several fatal cases occurred. Of recent years, however, there have never been more than two students in the hospital at the same time, and this freedom from a spread of disease is doubtless greatly due to the prompt and successful care taken by the college authorities.

It may furthermore be said that, although the hospital is situated on the college campus, there is not the slightest danger of the contagion spreading by reason of that. The building is thoroughly disinfected after it has been occupied, and is then one of the best domiciles, as far as sanitary arrangements are concerned, of the college. As a matter of fact, the building has been twice occupied as a home. Not long after it was built a student from Canada, who had just married, was given permission to use the hospital as a home, and did so use it. The other time was when Prof. Ko-Kun-Hua, the Chinese professor, who had unexpectedly arrived in Cambridge before arrangements for his accommodation had been made, was given the use of the little yellow building for himself and family."