Hepatitis Strikes H. C. Crusaders

Holy Cross ended its football schedule prematurely yesterday. The 75-member squad, four managers, seven coaches, the trainer, and the director of sports information are all infected with hepatitis.

Athletic director Vincent G. Dougherty contacted the Crusader's eight remaining opponents- including B.B., Syracuse, Massachusetts, and UConn- to inform them that Holy Cross cannot fulfill its commitments to them. The cancellations could put the Holy Cross athletic program in serious financial problems, since the school will be losing about $200,000 in gafe receipts alone.

Hepatitis attacks the liver, and the only cure is rest - usually about six weeks. The disease is rarely fatal, but it is highly infections.

Vicious Virus

Dr. John Shea, vice-president for student affairs, said that blood tests given to the gridders showed that all of them had the virus, although not all were sick yet. He said that the college plans to isolate all those infected in order to prevent spread of the disease to the rest of the student body.

Worcester health officials have begun a general sanitary survey at Holy Cross in an effort to pinpoint the source of the disease. Since the football team eats some of its meals with the rest of the student body and sleeps in the same dormitories, the chances that others have been infected with the disease are high.

Any Harvard fans hoping that the Dartmouth eleven could have become infected during its encounter with the Crusaders Saturday will be disappointed. Health officials said that it takes a longer period of exposure than an afternoon's game to become infected with the virus.

Flu Flares Friday

Several members of the Holy Cross team came down with symptoms of a flulike illness last week, but it was not until Friday that a number of players were knocked out of action and bepatitis was indicated.

In a teaful meeting with his players, rookie coach Bill Whitton told them, "I don't think anyone has ever represented Holy Cross football better than you."