DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 47 



KEPOKT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BACTERIOLOGY A>s'D 



HYGIENE. 



President J. L. Snyder : 



Dear Sir: — The class worlc of this department has gone on in much 

 the same manner as in years past. Two subjects were omitted because 

 of the changes taking pkice in the Agricultural and Women's courses. 



We are unfortunate this year in losing Prof. W. G. Sackett, who has 

 gone to take charge of the Bacteriological work in the Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station at Fort Collins, Colo. Dr. Wetmore leaves, also, 

 on account of her health. Dr. Otto Rahn is taking Mr. Sackett's work 

 and conducts it very acceptably. 



I desire to speak of the hospital conditions existing at the college. 

 Miss Ketchum has done excellent work in caring for the ailing who 

 ^PP^y to her and in managing the hospital. From our experience for 

 the past year or two, we are convinced that more extensive hospital 

 facilities will have to be provided, if we are to take care of the sick 

 students. It is true that the hospital is large enough when all are 

 well ; but when an epidemic appears, each year, we are becoming more 

 helpless to handle it. If this situation continues very much longer, 

 we shall be brought face to face with a disagreeable situation, and we 

 shall not be able to hold epidemics in check. I have experienced 

 periods when we have had as many as four communicable diseases ex- 

 isting here at one time. Under some such circumstances, it becomes 

 exceedingly difficult to harbor and care for the sick, and also hold the 

 communicable diseases in check. No one doubts the value of caring for 

 the sick students properly, and also fighting epidemics appearing 

 amongst the student body. It seems expedient, therefore, that some 

 steps be iaken in the near future to improve the hospital facilities. 

 Accordingly, 1 recommend that this matter receive serious attention, 

 and that something be done as early as possible. It is my belief that 

 the cottage system for this place will be the least expensive and the 

 most feasible and the most effective. These cottages could be located 

 near the pi'eseisl hospit^al. 



Verv respectful Iv submitted, 



" CHARLES' E. MARSHALL, 

 Professor of P>acleriology and Hygiene. 



East Lansing, June 30. 1008. 



