DR. RICHARDS TELLS OF WORK AS H.A.A. SURGEON

In his annual report to the President of the University, Dr. T. K. Richards, '15, Chief Surgeon of the Harvard Athletic Association, commented on the wide scope of his work in taking care of undergraduates who are out for some sport and the progress made in providing better means of keeping these men in good physical condition.

Dr. Richards summarizes the work of the Medical Department as follows:

(1) Preventing injuries during athletic contests.

(2) Care of injuries arising during athletic contests.

(3) Investigating the nature of various injuries which have been obscure.

(4) Following up injured men during off seasons.

He goes on to state that the Harvard Athletic Association in the fall of 1925 established at the Locker Building on Soldiers Field, a well-equipped department of physiotherapy, with the necessary baking machines, deep therapy lamps, diathermy, and whirlpool baths, in addition to a complete X-ray and fleuroscopic equipment with the necessary dark room. During the football seasons, frequently as many as 150 to 200 men were seen in the doctor's room daily. Many of these required no further medical treatment than advice but any injury severe enough to keep an individual from taking part in practice was recorded. In the winter the number seen fell off to between 10 and 50 daily, gaining again with the advent of spring sports.

In the fall of 1925, the H. A. A., also began to keep accurate records of injuries, so that it was possible to know at any time just what the condition of a given man was.

In addition to the actual work of caring for injured athletes, an attempt was made to investigate the nature of various injuries which heretofore have been obscure. At the present time, very interesting information and gratifying results, as far as treatment is concerned have been obtained regarding sprained ankles. During the fall and winter, a considerable investigation of the sugar content of the blood before and after competition was done. In all, about 500 blood analyses were made. At the same time, an investigation along X-ray lines of the hearts of track men was started but has not yet been completed.