Midd Briefs Winter Carnival Revelries Increase Porter Admittance

Author: Pierce Graham-Jones

The Parton Health Center admitted an unusually high number of Middlebury College students for alcohol related reasons this Winter Carnival Weekend. Although Administrative Director Kathleen Ready was unable to provide the exact number of students cared for, she did admit, "The amount of drinking that occurs over Winter Carnival Weekend is a matter for concern."
Ready, however, did not think that the numbers were unusual compared to past carnival weekends, "We don't look forward to Winter Carnival in our office," she said.
"I did percieve an increase in the number of alcohol related incidents during the last weekend," said Lisa Boudah, director of Public Safety. "There was a significant increase in incidents handled by Public Safety at the Winter Ball."
The staff at Parton Health Center found it necessary to transfer a number of students to Porter Hospital. According to Public Safety, this year five students were transported to Porter, as compared with only one student last year. The decision to transfer students to Porter Hospital is made when Parton staff feel that greater medical expertise is needed or when beds are in short supply.
Besides posing a health risk in its own right, alcohol often leads to unsafe behavior, such as unplanned sexual encounters and drunken driving. The health center must handle all such accidents and injuries resulting from alcohol use. These range from minor to very serious, said Ready. Porter Hospital declined to comment on the number of alcohol-related cases admitted over the weekend.