New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-30
SING SING PRISON A MENACE,
IT BREEDS TUBERCULOSIS IN MANY Il PRISONER
WHO ENTERS IN GOOD HEALTH.
Then Turns Him Loose the Public to Spread the Dread Dis
eO'e-D0mP; Darkness and VeTmiu abound There

Those who have chosen for their life work the
waging OF war against the great white plague"
have recently awakened TO the fact that II they
are 10 accomplish definite results in checking
oonsumption's ravages they must devote some
portion OF their energies TO the improvement OF
conditions within the great prisons IN this and
other States. Careful investigation has demon
strated the fact that the majority of State pris-
ons are regular hotbeds Of consumption and
that inasmuch as the whole prison population OF
the country changes about every five years,
these prisons constitute direct menace to pub
lie health. In many cases consumption in 3
family has been traced directly TO some member
Of that family who as an inmate OF some prison
for years there contracted consumption. return
ing 10 his family victim OF the disease.
Dr. J. p. Ransom. physician 10 Clinton Prison,
Ct DannemOra, y Y, has made the matter the
subject Of extensive investigation and his ex-
haustive report has been submitted TO the
eighth International prison congress by Samuel
!. Barrows. OF this city, commissioner for the
United States. AS member OF the executive
hoard Of the Prison Association Of New-YorS
M Barrows has himself become thoroughly ac-
cuanted with the subject
DANGER OF INFECTION.
The dangers Of widespread tuberculosis IN
fiction through discharged prisoners cannot be
orerestinated.' said he recently People gen.
orally forget that all the prison population
changes about every five years. I recall an Incl
dent that viii illustrate the danger one day
lady came 10 me weeping bitterly. Her hus-
bands nephew. having completed his sentence
had returned from prison He was dying from
consumption contracted in prison, and had ap-
piled 10 his uncle for shelter. She said that she
and her husband could not bear TO turn the poor
fellow away. and Yet she could not have him
there IN her two small rooms. a constant menace
10 the lives OF her husband. herself and several
small children. ] succeeded in getting the young
man admitted 10 a hospital. There are many
such cases never brought TO our attention. and
thus consumption is spread. This case simply
illustrates what may happen
i thoroughly agree with DR.. Ransom's sug-
gestions for the Improvement Of conditions IN
prisons. A great many of the jails and prisons
in this State are not 1T for human beings to
occupy, and some Of them would not be used
but for the maintenance Of the fee system OF
boarding prisons still in vogue in some counties
Of this State. under which the sheriff gets so
much q week for each prisoner so boarded.
The housing conditions at Sing Sing and at
Auburn prisons are exceedingly bad and are
productive Of much disease among the prisoners
Repeated efforts have been made 10 secure an
Improvement Of conditions IN both these prisons,
but with little result. Since the agitation be-
gan number of large windows have been cut
In the outer waIlA Of the old cell house at Sing
Sing but even now little light enters the anti
quated structure. and the cells in the lower tier
are always damp. There is now bill before
the Legislature calling for the appointment Of
commission Of three to investigate new sites for
Sing Sing and Auburn prisons"
HOW CONDITIONS NAY BE IMPROVED.
The report Of DR.. Ransom which has been
warmly Endorsed not only By Commissioner Bar
rows, bat also by Dr. s. A. Knopf, of this city.
and other wei known tuberculosis specialists
and students Of prison life cites direct causes Of
consumption among prisoners and outlines
means by which present conditions may be i'm
proved
The 5ails are classed by DR.. Ransom as eausa-
tive factors leading. to the development of tuber-
culosis in the State prisons and other penal in
stitutions.
There is no provision made in the jaiIs for the
isolation or separation Of the tuberculous from
the general jail populations, and this affords
opportunity for the inmates 10 become infected
from association" says DR.. Ransom.
THE food and body hygiene in most cases are
left 10 the Sheriff who regulates diet, clothing
and ali measures appertaining to the jail adj
minisJratiOn. and whose salary usually depends
upon the fee system at so much day a
AS an Illustration of the defective housing
10 be found in most prisons, Dr. Ransom cites
the fact that ia forty-eight out Of seventy-seven
prisons from which he received reports the size
Of the cells ranged as small by by feet.
and in the remaining twenty-nine from by 3
by 20 II by by O. Many Of them had prac-
ucally no sunlight, while in others little reached
the cells.
The bucket system which in lieu Of an up TO
Gate flushing sanitary system still maintains in
Sing Sing and many other prisons is declared by
Or. Ransom to be one Of the worst sources OF
tuberculous Infection Of the use Of the bucket
n prison cells the doctor says: Opened as fire.
Guently as IL necessarily must be, with its efhu-
via escaping into the atmosphere Of the small
eel, poorly ventilated. most favorable medium
Is furnished for the development and growth Of
al forms Of bacterial life"