Sick List Is Short In Veteran-Heavy Post-War College

With University enrollment swelled to twice its pre-war size, the sick lists from Stillman might be expected to show a parallel increase. But figures released by Dr. Arlie V. Rock, Henry K. Oliver Professor of Hygienen, show that the number of sicknesses have reached an all-time low. Less than one-third of the normal number of patients have been taken in during the first half of the College year.

One possible cause for the current low illness rate is a more sensible approach by veterans to the problems of adequate and regulated sleep and examination studying, Professor Bock stated.

Although this reason is only a conjectural one, Professor Bock said, it might very well be that the older veterans take better care of themselves, don't skip breakfasts, and know that a mere three or four hours of sleep a night will lead to sickness.

Evidence of the small quota of winter sicknesses are the Stillman lists, Professor Bock claimed, which show, on a typical day only 17 men at the Infirmary, five in hospitals, and 11 resting at home, and which show few of the usual respiratory diseases.

No Nauseating Exams

In addition, to Hygiene Department has not had the former crop of men with "anxieties over blue books," in the form of nausea, tremors, and other nervous conditions, Professor Bock announced, attributing this fact to a lack of the last minute examination cramming formerly practiced by a younger college group.

Meanwhile, doctors are becoming perplexed over the absence of an epidemic of influenza predicted last May, Professor Bock stated. Reports from the Boston area hospitals show a surprising lack in all three forms of influenza, the pandemic variety, and the "A" and "B" types.

Answering recent queries as to what the Hygiene Department would do in the case of an epidemic of the pandemic influenza, by far the most dangerous of the varieties, Professor Bock stated that "we have nothing to offer against it, since there is no medication that is known to prevent the disease."