The Washington times., 1908-08-15
JAIL CONDITIONS
ROUSE PHYSICIAN
DR.. Atkinson Promises to
Fight for Health of Dis,
trict Prisoners.
CONSUMPTIVE HELD:
RELEASE REFUSED
Commissioner West. Although
Willing, Cannot Order Sick Prisr
oner Sent to Hospital.

That such conditions as exist az the
jail should be permitted ia q civilized
community at this late day is amazing.
When man suffering from tuberculosis
can be penned Up in cell and deprived
or the fresh air that means life % hlra,
and Of rhe food that is necessary 70
give him chance TO hight for his life.
Il IS time that humanity stepped in and
demanded that conditions be rene
died. ?"
This statement, made BY DR.. Wade Il.
Atkinson, president OF the Medical and
Surgical Society OF the District OF CO.
lumbias is but one OF the many OF ex-
clamatiOns OF establishment and protest
that greeted the disclosure by The
Times OF the presence OF the yIctim or
the white plague IN the crowded prison
corridors
physicians and iayUIen all over Waso-
ington expressed Indignation that the
Department OF Justice should pursue
such policy IN its management Of The
jail, and that a prisoner must be al
lowed 10 waste sway while four hundred
oIner inmates are exposed 70 infection.
VIII Agitate Reform.
am sure that tie physicians OF the
District viii be only too glad 70 CO.
operate with The Times in securing a.
remedy for such conditions said DR.
Atkinson While 1 never have made
an inspection OF the institution. I am
informed by those who have that there
IS absolutely no excuse for them.
Humanity would suggest that soma
effort be made 10 save the mans life.
and humanity demands that the hun
dTeds Of men enclosed by those thlcls
walls, prisoners though they may be,
should rot be exposed TO the danger OF
lnIectlCn IN such manner / would
say that II IS almost 4 crime to allov
such a condition OF affairs 20 exist.
Inc hrst requirements Tor the treat
meAJ OF tuberculosis are fresh air ana
fresh eggs ana milk. When / was told
mat the man never was alloWez out
Ioofs, as tnere Is no yard 10 the prison,
ana mat ne was given only the coarse =
ld4t OF tls prison, 4 was amazed ssonle-
InlnS must be done, ana the rne.Itcsl
ItaleLL ira MY OF the District Of Columbia
VIII oe only too eager 10 DO its share.
snail take the matter up when tie
Medical and Surgical Society meets ms
fail" --
West Is Praised.
Praise is heard on ali sides on the
action Of Commissioner West in direct
ing that the prisoner be taken 10 The
tuberculosis hospital but his authority
IN the matter is questioned and IL is NOT
believed he has the power 10 order the
man removed. He is merely taking the
only step that the District government
can take 10 aid the man and save the
other inmates from injection.
Warden Mckee has no authority
either 10 remove the prisoner, although
he has said that he would be only TOO
glad TO do something If be could. He
is not even allowed a cent for the pur-
chase Of eggs and milk for the prisoner.
and has no other place 10 put him than
IN the cell The cells are The cells OF
the prison or q hundred years asC as
regards sanitary provisions. The Drfs-
oner stu is confined in the institution.
The efforts OF Warden Mckee 10 81
the prisoner also have brought forth
much praise. Nalnly he souEht TO have
the man removed TO some place where
he could be treated in q humane man
ner, and in vain he asked that he be
allowed 70 furnish him with the dieE
necessary 10 his treatment
Bad Sanitation.
The sanitary arrangements at the in
stitution have long been the subject Of
criticism by physieiansand Dis.rict Of
icials.- Time after time an appeal was
made TO remedy the conditions. But
they never have been remedied, and
the sanitary arrangements at the in
nLlLuAiul are Al4C same kDuAy LlEV
were thirty years ago, when the jail
was erected.
with the expenditure Of q few thou
sand dollars It could be made a model
Jail, as it was well built. Just beyond
IT, the District workhOuse has been
enlarged several times and improved
at great expense, until IL is considered
a model cell house.
Woodward's Opinion.
Health officer w c. woodward Is
strongly Of the opinion that iau pris-
oners suffering from tuberculosis should
be removed tc some institution for the
care and treatment OF the diseaeA. not
only for their own sakes. but for the
sake Of those with whom they come in
contact
tuberculosis" said DR.. woodward
today, "is undoubtedly a contagious dis
east, and proper care should be pro-
vided for cOnsumptive patients There
is a statute which provides that inmates
OF penal institutions. when suffering
from q contagious disease. shall be re-
moved TO some uledical institution for
treatment While not wishing te taks
issue with the courts IN the present IN
stance. ] can see no reason why prison.
ers at the jail who are suffering with
tubeHsulosis should not be thus provided
for,
Care Against Spread.
While the disease cannot be classed
with smallpox or scarlet fever, II is
undoubtedly contagious. and great care
is required 10 prevent its spread The
Health Department is about to begin
the enforcement of the law requiring
the registration Of all cases OF tuber-
culosis in the District. Physicians are
required 10 report 70 the Health De-
partment within ons week after the
discovery OF the disease, the name, axe.
sex. color. and occupation OF the patient
Culture stations have been established
in drug stores throughout every section
of the city. 10 which the Health De-
partnent is sending bottles for the
collection Of sputum OF suspected uer-
sons, which IS anaiyzed at the Health
Department laboratory.
Continued on Ninth Page.D