The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-06


to the care and medical treatment Of the
inmates of the Tombs, or city prison,
DIR. o. ]. Ward undoubtedly has one Of
the most interesting fields Of professional
practice and study. 1t extends among a
class of patients which, taken all in
all, are hardly to be duplicated any
where else.
1t was not TO dilate on the valuable
opportunities to science presented to the
city prison physic for the making Of
a study or speciality of criminology in
his calling, however, that 1 visited DR..
Ward recently, but to ascertain from
him some of the more interesting details
Of his work and experience. found
him evidently about Do years old, with
pleasant and kindly features. When he
spoke, he expressed himself meditatively
and to the point. His words were well
weighed, and there could be no miscon-
STRUNG his meaning.
"Oh, there is no doubt Of the Tombs
being fine place to make a study in
the line Of criminology, said DR.. Ward
when first preached the subject Of my
visit and alluded TO the field open in
this line. 1.-The material is here, and the
opportunities for observation are unlim-
tied"
In answer to my question as to the
physical condition of the prisoners at
the Tombs and their ailments the ply
stefan replied:
about 75 per cent of all that come
in here suffer from some gastric and
nervous troubles, the results of dissipa-
| ton. Thirty five per cent of these are or
have been addicted to the opium or
morphine habit. After these opiate vic
| tins have been here a short while and
their access to their favorite drug cut
off their sufferings become pitiable to
degree.
| 81 have had patients here Of this
| class" he continued, "to whom l had
to administer as high as 30 grains of
morphine in one day to save their lives
| This dose would be sufficient to kill
about five ordinary persons not accus-
toned to the drug.
| That victims TO the opium and NOR
| phine habits should furnish as many as
80 ont of every 100 criminals landing
| in the city prison, when the police and
| other authorities Of the city are pro-
| claiming that the open sale or use OF
| these drugs has been entirely suppressed
| or stamped out, somewhat surprised
me, and asked Dr. Ward whence this
particular class of prisoners came from.
| 1.-THE alcoholic patients are prin-
cipally from the upper section of the
city, but the morphine or opium VIC
Tins, as n rule, all come from the lower
part Of the city," he replied. lone Of
the most pitiable subjects of the opium
habit that came here was George Apo,
the green goods operator, who is the son
of Quimbo Apo. the Chinese murderer.
Apo testified before the Lexow COM
mittee against McNally, the king Of
the green goods men. Apo had not
been in the Tombs without his opium
for over few days when the want of
the drug began to assert itself on his
entire system. His means and groans at
night fairly kept awake and annoyed
all the prisoners in the other cells on
the same corridor.
One curious feature, from a medical
standpoint. about the Tombs prisoners
is that they almost Immediately become
seized with the impression that they
are suffering from all sorts Of ailments
and want treatment. They ruminate
over their old complaints and shout for
the doctor, whereas if they were at
home they would never think of need
ing medical attendance.
With the habitual criminal or "re-
peaters" and "revolvers, as they are
called, this is not the case. These know
the regulations of the prison and under
stand that the least troublesome way to
get along is to cause as little annoyance
as possible. 1t is remarkable also to no.
tice how newcomers to the city prison
quite readily become reconciled to the
surroundings. The first day they appar-
emily feel their degradation, but in q
few days it is wonderful to behold
them, laughing and joking about their
predicaments.
Equally remarkable is the way the
newcomers. or at least those committed
for petty offenses, will take to lionizing
and looking up to those committed fol
the higher grades Of crime, such as
murder and bank robbery.
"A class Of people who are great al
feigning illness are those who come
down here from the workhouse or
Blackwell's island, said DR.. Ward fur
Their. las soon as I hear OF these
complaining and find them in normal
condition ! tell them they require nc
medicine, and If they take any it will
do them moro harm than good. If they
are persistent after my examination OF
advice, why, give them prescription
calling for placebo, which is really
something in the name of medicine
only. but in reality composed Of pills o.
common bread or colored water. Thil
placebo acts like charm in these cases
for when go my rounds and ask tn,
placebo patients how they feel after tax
ing this meticine they declare the rem
edy excellent and want TO know why
did not prescribe il for them before.
Zone thing that surprises me here j
the way criminals charged with mon
strous crimes secure the sympathy O
those women who are of benevolent o
charitable turn of mind. These crimi
mails pour alleged stories of their fal
from grace and innocence into the ear
Of these confiding people, but in min
cases out of ten where the prisoner
helped and gets out he or she make
sport Of the credulity Of the benefactor,
concluded DR.. Ward as he stepped on
Of his Office to make his rounds. New
York News
$500