Amherst College Physician and Pratt Health Cottage Records

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.