Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-18
SKILLED AID
FOR The SICK
Suggestion Regarding Care of
Persons in Police Cells
AT POLICE BOARD HEARING
Trial of Two Policemen on Charge Of
Neglect.
DEATH UNDER INVESTIGATION
Witness Believes officer, With Knowl-
edge Of Hospital Treatment,
Should Be at Each Station.
AT POLICE BOARD HEARING
Trial of Two Policemen on Charge of
Neglect.
UNDER INVESTIGATION

| Assignments in each Of the police pre-
cincts Of the city Of an officer with knowl-
| edge OF hospital treatment for the duty of
| directing the care Of prisoners suffering
| from the effects of overindulgence in alco-
holic stimuants. and the adoption of a
method of throwing light into the interior
OF the cells in the various station houses
| were strongly recommended as necessary
| remedial measures by DR.. W. Given Suter.
| physician to the poor. This statement
| was emphasized in DR.. Suffers examination
this morning before the police trial board
investigating charges against Privates
Hanley and Potter Of neglect of duty in
| connection with the death of H. P. Totten
Of Bluef1eld, w. Va. who was found dead
| last Saturday IN his cell In the sixth pre-
| cinct station house.
In explaining his suggestions. which were
made at the request of Mr.. F. H. Stephens.
| a member OF the trial board, DR.. Suter
| said that serious cases of the consequences
of drunkenness In prisoners often urgently
| require the attention of persons of more
! experience than the ordinary layman in the
| detection and treatment of such condi-
| tfons. He was Of the opinion that a MEM
! Der of the force in each precinct could be
found with the necessary qualifications and
| could be detailed to the service without
| making that his exclusive duty
Concerning the condition of the cells he
expressed the belief that as a rule they
are properly ventilated. but are not sup
l. piled with light sufficient for all portions
| of the apartments.
| Dr. Suffers examination closed the tes-
cluded, so far as the board Is concerned,
when the report Of the finding Is trans
mitted to the Commissioners through the
| superintendent of police.
DR.. Suffers Testimony.
The board met this morning at 1890 and
concluded its session about noon, the ex-
animation Of Dr.. Suter, the only witness
called, lasting about an hour.
The witness testified that In the pursu-
ance Of his duty as a physician to the poor
1t is his custom to visit the sixth precinct
station twice a day to receive names and
addresses Of INDECENT persons who report
there for medical attention. DR.. Suter said
he had called at the station the afternoon
Of August IL between 2 and o'clock and
there when the death of Totten was re-
ported.
He stated that while he was at the build
Ing IN the morning there were several visits
but he knew of only one visit that was
made in the afternoon. The witness added.
however. that the officers could have easily
passed through the corridors to the cells
without his knowledge while he was in the
sitting room. While waiting. DR.. SITTER
said. he had observed that the room was
quiet. He did not recall having heard any
remarks prior to the announcement Of his
death. DR.. Suter had visited a cell adjoin-
ing that occupied by Totten In the morning.
but nothing had occurred to attract his at
tention either to that apartment or the oc-
cupant.
The Death Announced.
Private Hanley. the witness said. came
to him In the sitting room short time be-
fore 3 o'clock and announced the death of
Totten. asking the doctor to visit the cell.
He went and found. after an examination
of about ten minutes that the man was
dead. He was lying. Dr. Suter said, on the
floor. with his face turned downward. His
head was directed toward the inner wall
of the cell In a position where the dark
ness Of the apartment was deepest
DR.. Suter said he determined that death
had occurred by the ordinary means, in
GLIDING the cessation OF pulsation and
respiration. He said he was wholly unable
to determine the cause of death upon the
examination made at that time.
'Given a case Of a man who had been
drinking steadily for three or four days and
he'd slept for some time and had then
died. the autopsy disclosing mass of
mucus in his stomach impregnated with
fumes Of alcohol" said Mr.. Stephens.
cause of death?" -
In case the organs showed evidence OF
congestion would diagnose such case as
one of gastritis." was the reply. -
The witness added that 1t would be diff
cult to tell with any degree Of accuracy
how long the condition had existed
After describing the symptoms of gas
tritis DR.. Suter said. in answer to a ques-
ton by Attorney Stephens. that in his opfn-
ion an ordinary layman would not be able
objective symptoms.
Common Conditions
cit is very common" said DR.. Suter, "for
persons addicted to the excessive use of al
cohol to suffer from gastritis
Mr.. Stephens then propounded hypothet-
ical question describing the case of man
whose death occurred under the conditions
said to have surrounded the death of Mr..
Totten. and asking II it could be determined
by general and ordinary examination that
the fatal result was caused by gastritis.
To this negative reply was made.
The only rational way to make a dag
nosis, the witness said, is to do an au-
topsy. He then described the general
treatment in a case of gastritis due to al
coholism. The patient, the doctor stated.
should be reused at regular intervals and
subjected to eliminative treatment This.
he added. would be sufficient for an ordi-
nary case in which no unusual symptoms
were manifested
The witness said he had formed the opin-
ion at the time of his examination of Tot
ten In the cell that he had been dead about
twenty minutes. The body Of Totten, the
witness stated, was still warm at the time
Of the examination.
Commends the Officers.
DR.. Suter testified that he had been visit
ing the sixth precinct station for about
three years. and that he had known the
two officers under charges. The witness
said that his personal observation led him
to believe that the officers of the precinct