The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-08
CLUBBING DRUNKEN MEMS FEET.
A Custom OF Police Omcers Le.s Dangerous
than their Auneks on the Head.

A Custom OF Police Omcers Less Dangerous
than their ATTACKS on the Head.
A correspondent writes 60 THE SUN, asking
whether the police custom Of trying to arouse
drunken men by clubbing them on the solos Of
their feet Is not brutal and dangerous practice.
II Is. at least. a very common one; II seems to
bo brutal and II the club is violently applied 1t
becomes dangerous Careful inquiries. how
ever. have not ELECTED any information TO show
that. under ordinary circumstances. there Is
much or any peril. There are no veins or nrto-
rics in the foot that could readily DO injured.
but one Of tho twcnty-slx bones might be frac-
turod by hard blow
Tho chief danger" well known New York
physician said. lies In police oficer using
excessive violence: but tho sole OF the foot is
not easily hurt. The bones above tho arch Of
the foot and under the instep are well padded
with fat and muscle. and could not easily be
hurt. though fracture or dislocation might
take place. Behind tho ball OF the foot
whore Ave bones como very close to the surface
the danger would be great; and It Is. I believe,
lust In that spot that police officer would
apply his club 10 drunken man. Tho foot is a
very perfect and beautiful piece " mechanism.
All the bones are piabe and yield easily. but
rarely break. Eyon when "a man jumps from
height. the fractures or dislocatlons caused by
the shock are almost ALWAYS In the leg, even NJ
high up "a the hip and among tho large bones
but hardly ever in the foot. have been many
years In n position TO see eases OF injuries 10
tho foot caused by police clubbing. had they
occurred. but never heard Of one, | think,
however, that the practice IL bad one, and
ought 10 be abolishei.'
Police Surgeon stephen G. Cook Of 10 Charl-
ton street thought the custom Of clubbing the
soles OF the feet OF drunken men was a very bad
one. ! have never known any harm to accrue
from II, he said, hut IT should not be- allowed.
Everything depends upon the force Of the blow
YOU soc. and whenever | have been present
when IL was done the club WIS applied fnr too
lightly To- do any HARM OF course. before me u
police officer would not be likely to hit hard,
what amount 81 violence they uso under ordi-
nary circumstances.
The Doctor was shown hy motion Of the arm
how hnrd q police officer had been seen to club
the sOles " "a drunken mnn'- feet.
- On bcs- me- ih9i would mover 90, tho
II must certainly be dangerous. and should he
stopped at once. II should hr said. however.
YOU hnvo described would be- confined oxclu-
sNclyt To- TIA" loot; It cpu. not, OF course cN-
tend 20 any vital part. Now. have seen the
hospital ambulance surgeons try to arouse
drunken men in q far mora dangerous way
than clubbing them ON the -ues ot the feet.
short nno ago | saw u Young doctor before
putting the prisoner into tho ambulance turn
him over Oh his back and give him four or five
shnrp blows on the stomach. o. course. he
used only the Hat OF his hnnd but thought Il
very dangerous. and I stopped him no once. I
told him that no patient should be treated in
uhdl way so luu- az JOG Wus under my care.
Il ID not think that any III these violent
methods are good to Ties In trying To arouse u
drunken man. never employ anyth.nL strong
he moment applv d t6 ihcir nastriI-; iut II
tieir r,gH'r u ioo li"i"Gnd l9f mt and hnVo
from anything n addition 10 alcoholism. tell
the sergeant o. have them watched very closely
n,.iiatcT or am pmbnlnnc"' ma have tb 'sn
| ~ ".",' ,, TT "H 9N'""'"'iNV "hu ha'b u'eHl
w." AnD'hcr reason" the Doctor continued.
why tli,k clubbing The solo- of the frr.t Il a
oei pruH!ce. o. a at octas iOnaliy the difference
o, Other r. u-6. ~ ins.nsiiii,y is so sii'cii thnt
wv H.'-' '.l SUI 't ..n H"II's us
corn u, HnN oi course. am ordinary police "i-
n'tt N""tt H.t NtN.. H %. YiI' t"a. u'h
grant ana smells II luu1r. NingupSn The pave
ment iq nn gn.ohr,ipns condition. hc r,,ul- Tho
s0les ~ lie iD ttJ arouse Nlm. aud finally takes
charge "a drhnkeuhr~- aglittt Inn, In iury-
uih' SnTr- oul Oh MY ihe 9ilir,f II RI 9l but u
rr-iHi man VINO was ruU"ring from some
erun disease. and WHO wsen hr began TO get
ldlht. hhu IiN'h dtlhh 10 lNiN' MN, anu 80
80 have been 20 much Interested va Oh is lues-
u ',n anu haNe seen 80 many IA .akrr m9Hf
KY NV nlMsys ,"tnS WIN ~, nm, rr9t ,.
dqiasn.osis b,t"rcn az causes oil lnsrnslhility.
mi ny, Alca,,iei lhein''.l. .. .,,t,
ii fv i,,1oi ,,tsW rom NJ 1921 sihsl.
7l.Sft "i lip' ai,u i.Hu ~ Atoun ipahlhg
az .vn,r,,,,s ~ Il fr.r ,,,'s, ~ nan
ny ~ i"iIoWT'
'i, , ~ lhs h' . - 1 En- iFee e2', normal
!, iiia,sa Wv ''..''' ''''' '''''' 81"
u,u natural 90. ssiini pa 81. small AMI rnri ri.pi.
generally contracted more easily aroused than IN tic
ca, W ,sSmrlrr,' 99i. i,.. an, .,., .,... $500.
arm, ,,5 Nv, i''Au''' ana Almost Always one
Ff9nn s"oins ct iec, ana lower mart Of ct. face
pac ami waxy u1 rnray.. pupils diatc per.1ira,ion
aud strong uluf irou, tlp hosl,
hpien.y -hiooi on lir. ini liberation Of tongue
Nv ,eri, A1t, ls' h',h ". mlu'9ui any 10 ur = ir
OF i,e. nati-si '''' '"' '"7 Hg hhi color
C.lit1sr IN seuabitt, not e--,.
miui partly clear All - Il, i, ,ui r,,,'isli
uun. " ""''' ''''"''' nv
Snc9Y" -i,rrauon nsensibiity brief complete loss
J ." ,..ou@y monon
/
I'm I, t,i mo iii,,n ai@'lolie tr,,thii. M, ni
ont of tho . aud puhus Noise each truath. iu.cn
N.'" nov ",u''' 'i''."
Capt. Mcdonnell OF the Prince street police
who has been eighteen years on the force says
he has seen thousands 81 drum kan men Dubbed
~, ~, 49, - tt,,.ir -, 80 ~. "a ~ .t
.,. ~ '., A. ~, - . ~ @ @ ., A. " 49,