The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-09-30
THE TOMBS DOCTOR.
HIS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDYING
CRIMINAL NATURE.

CRIMINAL NATURE.
Most Of His Patients Suffer From the Ef-
fects of Observation-Disclosures Of Morphine
and Opium-PIacebo For Those who
Feign Illness
While his duties are limited officially
L. the care and medical treatment Of the
inmates OF the TOmbs, OF city prison,
DR.. o. !. Ward undoubtedly has one Of
the most interesting fields Of professional
practice and study. 1t extends among
class OF patients which, taken all IN
all. are hardly to be duplicated any
where else.
II was not TO dilate on the valuable
oDportunities to science presented 10 the
city prison physician for the making OF
= study or speciality Of criminOlogy III
his calling, however, that l visited DR.
Ward recently, but 10 ascertain from
him some Of the more interesting details
of his work and experience. L found
him evidently about 80 years old, with
TIcasaut and kindly features. When he
smoke. he expressed himself meditatIvely
and to the point His words were well
weighed. and there could be no mlscon-
STRUNG his meaning.
"Oh. there is no doubt of the Tombs
being a fine place TO make a study IN
she line of criminology, " said DR.. Ward
when first broachcd the subject Of my
visit and alluded to the field open III
this line. The material Is here, and the
opportuniites for observation are unllm-
lted 4"
In answer 10 my question as to the
physical condition Of the prisoners at
the Tombs and their ailments the ply
sician replied:
About IS Der cent of all that come
in here suffer from some gastric and
nervous troubles, the results Of dlsslpa-
ZION. Thirty five per cent of these are or
have been addicted TO the opium or
morphine habit. After these oplate VIC
tins have been here short while and
their access 10 their favorite drug cut
off their sufferings become pitlable to
a degree.
4
class, he continued. Ito whom i had
20 administer as high as 30 grains OF
morphine III one day 10 save their lives
This dose would be sufficient TO kill
about five ordinary persons not accus-
toned 10 the drug.
That victims TO the opium and NOR
phine habits snould furnish as many as
30 out Of every 100 criminals landing
IN the city prison, when the police ana
other authorities Of the city are pro
claiming that the open sale or use OF
these drugs has been entirely suppressed
or stamped oGt, somewhat surprised
me. and | asked DR.. Ward whence this
particular class Of prisoners came from.
The alcoholic patients ara prln-
cipally from the upper section Of the
city. but the morphine or opium vic
TINS. as a rule. ali come from the lower
part Of the city, he replied. ''One OF
the most piliable subjects of the opium
habit that came here was George Apo,
zhe green goods operator, who is the son
81 Quimbo Apo. the Chinese murderer.
Aprso 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 a few days when the want of
the drug began 90 assert itself on ms
entire system. His nIoans and groans at
night fairly kept awake and annoyed
all the prisoners in the other cells on
the same corridor
One curious feature, from d medical
standpoint, about the Tombs prisoners
Il tilar 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 habituai criminal or ere
peaters' and ''revolvers." as they are
called, this l. 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
a. possible. II Is remarkable also TO no.
tice how newcomers 10 the city prison
quite readily become reconciled TO the
surroundings. The first day they appar-
emily feel their degradation, but in a
few days it Is wonderful 70 behold
them. laughing and joking about their
predicaments.
Equally remarkable is the way the
newcomers, or at least those committed
for petty offenses, viii take TO h0nizIng
and looking up to those committed for
sbe higher grades of crime, such as
murder ana bank robbery.
A class Of peOple who are great at
feigning illness are those who come
down here from the workhouse on
Blackwell's island, " said DIR. Ward fur
Fher. As soon rs l hear of these
complaining and find them in 4 normal
condition ] tell them they require no
medicine, and if they take any II viii
do them more harm than good. If they
are persistent after my examination or
advice. why, / give them a prescription
calling for placebo, which i really
something IL Ihe name Of a medicine
only, but in reality composed Of pills Of
common bread or a colOred water. This
piacebo acts like charm in these cases,
Aof " utu 1 70 I4A ICulus anu aSh ilIe
plaoe5o patients how they feel after tax
ing this medicine they declare the rem
edv excellent and want to know why !
did not prescribe II for them before.
"One thing that surprises me here Is
she way Cr,.ainals charged with mon
Stro1s crimes secure the sympathy OF
those women who are of benevolent or
charitable turn Of mind. These crimi-
mails pour alleges stories of their fall
from grace and innocence into the ears
of these cCntiding people, but il nine
cases out q ten where the prisoner l.
helped and gets out he or she makes
-sp0rt Of the credulIty of the bcnefactor. -
concluded Dr. Ward as he stepped on,
Of has Office to make his rounds.-.New
York News.