The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-09-27
Of STATE
PRISON PHYSICIAN
SHOWING THE HEALTH coNDi.
TON OF PRISONERS IN STATE
PENiENTiARY.

MuAleStcr. OKLA, Sept. - 1909.
Hon. r. W. DICK, Warden Oklahoma
State Penitent!ary, McAlester, Oh.
/ Dear Sir':-Pursuant TO your rc.
/ quest OF August Slst. for informa.
| tion regarding general health. Ia
bcrcu'osis and deaths among the
prisoners of this institution. sub.
mitted brief report on September
3rd. For your information | append
thereto the following more compre.
hensive outline OF the work of my
department since | assumed control
January ], 1909
On that date, finding hospital IA.
cilities wholly inadequate | began
under your direction the erection Of
a temporary hospital in the jail yord
which we occupied January 18th
to March 2jth, when we moved into
our present. more commodlous quar-
ters at the stockade. This temporary
hospital Of seventeen beds was. be.
cause of the deplorabic physical con.
dition Of large number OF men ar.
irving from Lansing. Kansas. con.
tinually overcrowdcd with patients
suffering from various diseases.
| many OF them contagious. imme-
diately selected from among the
prisoners those who seemed most
fitted for hospital work. since max.
Ing such changes from time to time
as became necessary until | have
surrounded myself with corps Of
capable and Trustworthy assistants.
Our tuberculosis patients. for the
most part colored, are quartered In
large tent near the hospital
where each individual case is receiv.
ing most conscientious treatment.
During March and April we had an
epidemic of the measles Of very
| virnlent type followed by a severe
/ dysentcry, which together with the
ordinary cases taxed our new hospi
tai quarters 20 the utmost capacity
I The usual number OF malaria cases
incident TO this climate occurred I'm
June, July and August, still | am
sratified to be able TO repor: no
loss OF life from these contagious.
Careful and efficient treatment ad.
= ministered 10 our daily sick calls,
close scrutiny and rigid examinations
OF those showing symptoms OF dis.
ease arc believe largely respons!.
Die for the low death rate and al.
most entire absence OF acute dis.
ease from our wards at this time.
a kitchen and dining room are
attached TO the hospital where foods
are especially prepared FOR the sick
as well as the regular meals for
all other attaches. Inadequate fa.
cilities for surgery has compelled
me 10 confinc myself to those cases
only which demand immediate at.
tention: however, upwards OF TWEEN.
" operations have been done. ey.
cry case OF which has terminated
most successfully.
Since my judgment as "a each
mans ability to perform labor Is
final. realize the weight of nv re-.
responsibility and conscientiously
strive TO make my decisions with
such Kindness, fairness and firm.
ness as to command the respect
and confidence OF every man. No
man is required TO perform manual
labor who is physically unfit and
the aged and infirm prisoner ro.
ceives due consideration. In case OF
doubt they risoner is given the ben.
eft
on the whole the general health
OF the inmates Of this institution is
most excellent and large factors in
maintaining this condition are out
OF door work, comfortable quarters
and abundant wholesome food.
i wish here to express my sin.
cere appreciation OF the cooperation
and assistance have received from
The warden, whose intense interest
and careful attention 10 detail have
made possible the great progress in
every department of this institution
The following table will show the
relative number sick In hospital in
proportion 20 the prison population
lion on the first OF each month:
Sick in hos.
fopa' pital during
lation month