Amherst College Physician and Pratt Health Cottage Records
Scope and Contents
Four record volumes containing administrative records, individual student health records and aggregate student health statistics from the Pratt Health Cottage at Amherst College and Dr. Edward Hitchcock Jr. (AC 1849), the college physician.
Dates
- 1875-1929
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Access to portions of the Pratt Health Cottage and College Physician Records is restricted in accordance with HIPPA regulations. Individual student health information is restricted until 50 years after the death of the student. Partial or redacted access to the records may be granted at the discretion of Archives and Special Collections staff. Restrictions are noted at the file level. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.
Conditions Governing Use
Requests for permission to publish material from the Pratt Health Cottage and College Physician Records should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.
Biographical / Historical
Edward Hitchcock Jr. (AC 1849) served as the college physician and professor of physical education and hygiene starting in 1861. Hitchcock provided his services as college physician by visiting students in their rooms as necessary and holding office hours at the college gymnasium. He provided medical excuses for students’ absences from class and chapel. Hitchcock’s primary interest was physical education. He kept very extensive records on students’ health and physical measurements (anthropometry) for research and publication purposes in his efforts to show the health and education benefits of physical exercise.
Pratt Health Cottage was built in 1897 with a donation from George (AC 1893) and John (AC 1896) Pratt. It served as the college infirmary until 1938. Pratt Health Cottage was run by a resident matron, with medical service provided by various college physicians. It had both regular and quarantine wards.
Extent
.75 Linear feet (1 half archives box, 1 oversize volume)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Four record volumes containing administrative records, individual student health records and aggregate student health statistics from the Pratt Health Cottage at Amherst College and Dr. Edward Hitchcock Jr. (AC 1849), the college physician.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series 1: College Physician Records, 1875-1892
- Series 2: Pratt Health Cottage Records, 1897-1929
Custodial History
These records were created by Edward Hitchcock, Jr (AC 1849) in his role as college physician and by Pratt Health Cottage staff and trustees. They were transferred to the college archives at an unknown date. Similar record books relating to the Pratt Health Cottage can be found in the Amherst College Financial Record Books collection.
- College students -- Health and hygiene Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Medical records Subject Source: Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Mariah Leavitt
- Date
- 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299
archives@amherst.edu