Our Pal Sal

THE LATEST OUTBREAK of salmonella at Kirkland House last Friday forced University officials to take a number of steps to stop the infection from spreading, including the unpopular move of banning all interhouse dining. University Health Services administrators' recent decision to lift the interhouse ban tomorrow indicates they believe the threat of infection is past, just days after they emphasized the possible dangers of widespread salmonella infection.

UHS officials base their decision on the lack of recent cases and the identification of an employee at the Central Kitchen who may be a carrier. It is surprising and disappointing that University officials did not consider the threat of widespread contagion earlier, and take more forceful steps to contain the infection. Although the cases at the Union stopped when officals removed infected workers, the outbreak at Winthrop House should have warned these officials the salmonella was spreading beyond the Union. UHS also should have considered banning temporary workers, as one student suggested.

While reversal of the interhouse ban shows an admirable concern for the inconvenience such a ban causes, these officials should have fully considered the possibility that students may still contract salmonella, and spread it through interhouse

If the salmonella epidemic is over, then the officals' decision indicates their sensitivity to the needs of the student body, and should be commended. If, however, another outbreak occurs, UHS officials may regret their decision.