MANY IMPROVEMENTS RESULT FROM NEW $20 HYGIENE ASSESSMENT

Continuing the improvement of a hygiene service which was both outmoded and thoroughly inadequate when he took it over, Dr. Arlie V. Bock, Henry K. Oliver Professor of Hygiene, has this fall extended the service into every student branch of the University.

Law School

In the Law School entirely new quarters have been provided in Austin Hall in the ground floor room formerly used as a smoking room. The Hygiene Department has had for some years a part-time doctor who several afternoons a week occupied a small cubbyhole devoid even of a washbasin, situated behind the entrance to the reading room. Facilities were so poor, however, and the doctor in attendance was there so short a time that only 57 per cent of the men registered as Law students made use of the opportunity to consult him during the year 1935-36.

This figure is notably lower than that for the Business School which has had for several years a properly equipped and manned branch of the Hygiene Department located in the School itself, Last year this office was patronized by 87 per cent of the men enrolled on the Boston side of the river, a figure felt by Dr. Bock to demonstrate the necessity of a better physical setup among the Law students.

Attendant Daily

The large room once used as a smoking room in Austin Hall, was, therefore, divided into four small offices in one of which a secretary-technician is in daily attendance from 1 to 4.45 o'clock. Routine analysis work is done by her and other cases are immediately referred to the hygiene office on Holyoke Street. The cost of remaking the old smoking room was born by the Law School, but the furnishing, including the necessary medical apparatus, were paid for out of hygiene funds.

Stillman Infirmary has also been greatly improved. All of the private rooms as well as the wards have been painted and made less forbidding. Comfortable chairs, and modern tables which make it possible to read in bed without holding the book, have been installed in all the private rooms. New light fixtures were added last year, and gradually Dr. Bock hopes to make the ancient building more attractive.

New Mechanical Devices

The old cooking and refrigerating machinery, unreplaced since Stillman was built in 1902, have been supplanted by the most modern of automatic devices as far as possible. A new system of sterilizing all cooking utensils and dishes with live steam, at the same time that the automatic washer is working on them, has been installed. No other hospital in Boston or the environs has a system for quickly sterilizing, as a routine matter, all the dishes used, reports Dr, Bock.

In the basement, the laundry, last year found so old as to be useless, has been torn out and new machinery ordered, but, due to unknown causes, is as yet delayed. When completed, this unit will be able to turn out a better job than the old one in much less time, saving labor and money for other purposes.

Medical School

Even the sacred realms of the Medical School, never before brought within the University hygiene system, has been invaded by Dr. Bock and his increasing minions. Dr. Heath who was last year in the office on Holyoke Street, has been moved into a suite of rooms in the Medical School Administration building. The compulsory hygiene fee has been levied on embryo doctors for the first time this year and in return Dr. Bock has taken over the task of preserving students health from the Medical School. Formerly it was customary to allow Seniors in the School to make the Freshman physical exams, and no very unified system was employed for general medical advice throughout the year.

Beside these changes in equipment and physical setup Dr. Bock has added one more full-time doctor to the staff on Hodyoke Street. Dr. Murray is now employed all day and another man has been obtained to take the half time position he filled last year.

Four psychiatrist are now employed and one of them may be found at the Hygiene building either mornings or afternoons. They are Drs. Kenneth Tilletson, Neils Anthonisen, Robert E. Fleming, and Ray L. Whitney.

The new additions and improvements this fall have been made possible by the increased funds available to the Hygiene Department through the new $20 fee. This fee was decided upon last spring on the advice of Dr. Bock. More students last year and for several years past made it necessary to increase the facilities offered and the University felt unable to and money to make the possible. After some discussion it was announced that since something had to the done to put the Department as a paying basis immediately the fee would have to be doubled.