The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-07-31
TUBERCULOSIS ~ OUR PENA,
INSTITUTIONS

found. No tissue of the bod,, ;. =,
mune to infection and its ravapes q.
20 be seen on every hand
tuberculosis outside Of nrison. 3.
responsible for so per cent of an h,
man ailments. and the cause 10 -.
Of one out Of every seven who die
tuberculosis in penal institution
where surroundings and life arc e.
vorabie 10 its development. is rasnor
sible Tor the death of 50 to 60 per
cent in all prisons in the world ana
IN some 50 per cent.
The inmates of penal Institutions
1ails. asylums. reformatories or5
r prisons are especially susceptible 10
infection by this of all the most 5aad1,.
maladies; therefore. in these ipstitu-
tons lie important fields for affor+
that should command the attention of
all who are Interested in the work
This Is being written as a mani
fest warning. not only TO prison off
Gals. legislative gatherings. and mr.
ganized bodies of citizens. hut -
arouse the people to an understand
ing OF the situation. and the great
harvest Of death going on from q lack
OF appreciation of the nature and Of
feet Of tuberculosis. Il DESTROYS mora
lives in single year in this country
alone than were slain altogether IN
our civil war.
The long roll Of deaths from emf
denies. railroads. steamships and 9th
CT facilities are insignificant as COM
pared with those from CONSUMPTION
Management
Consumption 10 the public suggests
an incurable condition. and 70 an az
tent this is true. unless an early az.
animation is made and rational
methods applied. BY this is meant !
% Danish the habit of drugging svmp- \
toms and 10 put in vogue that which I
actual experience has demonstrated I,
as curative in many cases. namely. |,
Sunlight, air, and exercise in the
open. The latter. il cannot be gain
said. is best conducted by occupation 4
OF agricultural and gardening work.
Since our open air address before
the surgeons and physicians associa- il
ton in Albany it is gratifying to note h
that not only I'm the United States but :
In other countries. il is being urged Ii
ana put in force in penal institutions I
wherever located. Z
As surgeon 10 the prison hospital f,
in Ocala. state il as a fact that the 7
open air methods. as practiced there. Ii
have given gratifying and astonishing In
results 20 the emaciated, exhausted. 10
and 10 those who have apparently but Is
short tine 10 live; they take on \
weight color. and if fever is present o
The temperature usually subsidies
An ideal method in caring for and C
preventing the spread of tuberculosis f
In penal Institutions would be some t
thing similar 70 the f0RSwing: d
The state to create special insti- c
tuition with provision for outdoor en- a
pl0yment, such as farming. gardening. s
poultry raising. etc. This structure s
- be OF such a nature and capacity a
rs TO admit tuberculosis cases from e.
not only prisons. but jails. reforma-
tories. and other like institutions fos- r,
tered by the state. "
To write and talk about this much le
needed arrangement can and will not o.
accomplish the desired end. The con- c,
certed action on the part of our pris. iO
on Oficials. together with an appro- ID
priatiOn. will alone suffice.
Texas. the only state which has 7
made provision for tuberculosis pris-
oners. in this respect has shown
decrease in the disease of one-half be- B
fore the third year. isc
We cannot AFFORD 10 treat this subject I'll
with Indifference. and I now place is
The authorities on notice that our at
prisons are cradles of infection, and fr
they are therefore a perpetual menace ell
10 the whole people: that the state m
should not withhold its powerful aid W
10 the general community in denying hi
Us assistance and betterment to the
institutional populations; that is, by W
J lack of attention and effort to limit
Ind control the ravages of tuberculo-
Ms; that the states rightful legal tic
junction is guardian and legal ward re
% our institutional populations which sh
Ire essentially as much a part Of the on
as any other class, subject Nj
% the same laws of life and health tn
md should be protected in their bod on
ly ailments. or
To explain the method and manner Sc
Il the structure for carrying these lal
suggestions into effect. the treatment ex