7. All of the Corners in the Ellis Island Hospital Complex are Rounded

Autopsy room at Ellis Island

If you scrolled through the various photographs of the Ellis Island hospital complex, you may have noticed that the various wards have no sharp corners. This unique design feature was not an arbitrary aesthetic decision. Remember that the latest theories in healthcare were implemented at the facility — the corners were purposefully rounded because it was thought at the time that sharp corners could trap germs that would allow diseases to fester. 

It is for this same reason that bedsheets were washed, dried, and then placed directly on the beds within the hospital. After all, folds leave behind creases, which could trap bacteria and lead to bedsores.