FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED TO QUENCH OVER-ACTIVE SODIUM

An insignificant little pan of sodium caught fire in the Mallinekrodt Laboratory yesterday morning, with results far out of proportion to the original event.

One of the workers in the receiving room attempted to quench the flames by throwing the sodium out into the snow. As he did so, some of the material splashed on a wooden door, which caught fire but was extinguished immediately.

Meanwhile the smoke from the fire began to fill all the corridors of the building. One alert but over-zealous student rang the alarm bell, and sent the lecture audiences pouring from every door; another called the fire department, which dutifully sent over three of its finest engines posthaste. As usual, the fire was out by the time the engines arrived. Damage: nothing but the wounded dignity of the firemen.