The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-15
PRISONS IRE THE BEST
OF HEALTH RESORTS
Mortality Rate in Them Lower
than Anywhere Else to Be
Found in the World.
New York Telegram.

New York Telegram.
When the London Punch told an inquirer
to go and steal something. it was in reply
to his question as to what he should do
to recover his lost health, and all who read
the advice wondered. If the readers of the
funny paper had read, as Punch had. the
conclusions of Sir Robert Christison, the
eminent Scotch physician, after experiment.
ing at the prison in Perth, Scotland, they
would have realized the wisdom of the adj
vice.
This eminent physician elucidated the
fact that a prison is the healthiest place on
earth. bar none. Sir Robert Christison dur
ing a period OF ten years watched the con-
dition of the prisoners in the prisons both
at Perth and Staffordshire. and he found
that the death rate in these two institu-
tions was less than one per thousand. while
among adults outside it exceeded ten per
thousand. After reading these results the
man who is thus educated upon this point
may we'll ask what health resort, what
suits like this.
When it is learned that in prison sani-
tary laws are rigidly enforced, excuses in
the way of eating and drinking prohib-
tied, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and
sometimes tea prescribed, and cleanliness
of the body insisted upon, in addition 10
which are enforced the early bed and early
rising. it does not seem so remarkable
that the death rate in prisons and similarly
conducted institutions is very low.
1t is the lack of respect for his system
that prevents a man from living long and
dying happy. The human system is the
most wonderful of all pieces of mechanism
and can stand much abuse. but there is a
line beyond which a man may not go with
out causing severe and perhaps irreparable
injury to this wonderful human machine
wisely constructed 10 stand much abuse
followed by suffering and perhaps death.
1t is an established fact that no person
can possess either a pure or a contented
mind, or a good moral character, unless he
gives due and proper consideration to his
animal organism. a healthy system and
a healthy mind go hand in hand. A NOR
bid mind is the result of disease. Crime
is a disease. 1t may well be said there is
nothing in which men should feel such vital
interest as In living long and dying happy.
Man owes it TO his fellow man that his
system should be In perfect order, that he
may be cheerful as a companion, patient
as the head of a household and a good cit
izen whose company is desirable. Yet il is
a remarkable fact that men go on day by
day killing themselves by an inexcusable
neglect of the laws Of health, which are
the simplest and most easily observable
laws. We Americans bolt our meals in a
manner which astonishes the people of all
oIher hdtlohS- II We uIHh Win Il lIisuu'
we say, here goes" and ii does go with a
gulp.
beer, spirits, tea or tobacco is prohibited
and regular bathing Is insisted upon. These
conditions are worthy OF special note. and
even prisoners who are i'll when admitted
always improve under the regulation.
DIR. Richardson. once president of the San
itary Institution OF Great Britain, earnestly
advocated an improved method of admins
tering the health laws of the nation. He
favored the establishment of a Ministry Of
Health. which should include all existing
sanitary officers and f~unctionaries, with a
responsible minister at their head.
The health statistics of the United States
show beyond dispute that the farmer lives
longer than men of other occupations. The
farmers occupation is i'm the open air and
the convict is similarly situated. The farm
err takes his meals with rigid regularity and
his principal meal at noon, and so does
the prisoner. Ii is agreed by physicians and
health officers that II the practice OF the
farmer regarding eating were carried out
by all the world indigestion and its attend