Employee Sickened by Loker Drink

A Harvard University employee was hospitalized after drinking a

bottle of Diet Coke from a vending machine in Loker Commons around 3 p.m. yesterday.

The employee briefly became ill after consuming the liquid, which smelled like diesel fuel.

He was later released from the Cambridge Community Hospital last night without injury.

David B. Fithian, assistant dean of the College, said the University has no plans yet to discontinue service with the soda supplier. But the supplier will be held accountable for any contaminated beverages.

"We're going to ask the company to check what's in the machines and, if they don't, we're going to replace them," Fithian said.

Advisory e-mails sent out last night by the assistant deans of the College warned students of the incident.

"At this time, we do not know if there are any other instances of contaminated bottled beverages on campus," the e-mail warned.

The advisory encouraged students to inform the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) if they notice a fuel-like smell from any bottled beverages.

Some Leverett House residents were confused about the details of this incident last night because they received e-mails that said the victim was an undergraduate, not an employee.

"Do not purchase soda bottles from vending machines at Leverett or

elsewhere on campus until further notified," the e-mail said. "An undergraduate was hospitalized today after drinking soda from a vending

machine bottle that was contaminated, possibly with diesel fuel."

Glenn R. Magid, senior tutor of Leverett, the author of the e-mail, said he received the information from Fithian.

Fithian denied he ever told Magid that a student was hospitalized.

"Glenn must have misunderstood," Fithian wrote in an e-mail.