Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-18
MORE POWER FOR PHYSICIANS
Delegates Urge Prison Doctors
Should Have More Authority.
w1CKERsHAM TALKS TONIGHT
VIII Speak mt the AudItorium--IBan n
quet to BE Given This Evening
10 Attorney General and
Maud BafIinEtOn Booth.

More power and a larger salary for
the prison physician were advocated be-
fore the National Prison congress Tues
day by DR.. Theodore Cook, jr., of Balti-
more; DR.. d. c. Peyton. warden OF the
prison at Jeffersonville. Ind, and Maid
Ballington Booth Of the Volunteers Of
America
The warden, frequently holding his job
through politics. often blocks the work
of the physician, according TO DR.. Cook,
who resigned as physician of the prison
at Baltimore, after unsuccessfully at
tempting 10 secure the removal of the
warden, though, according to Or. Cook
the grand jury found his charges to be
true. Cook had charged that the pris-
oners didn't get proper food, that they
we're compelled to work on Sundays, that
they were improperly punished and the
the warden interfered with the physician
in his handling of the sick.
The physician should be appointed on
q civil service basis and should have alb
solute power in matters OF health" said
Or. Cook. mo warden should punish a
prisoner without the consent OF the ply
stefan"
Pay Should he Better.
we should pay better salaries and
get better physicians" said Maud Bal
lington Booth, and the physician should
have power to say what sort OF work q
prisoner should be put at. Thousands
who 60 into the prisons physically strong
come out wrecks. because they are made
to do work beyond their strength. are
made to work too many hours and be.
cause they are improperly fed.
"In New York we are now taking care
OF the health Of our prisoners. Those who
have tuberculosis we send to a sanitarium
In the Adirondacks. the same region to
which our miilionaires are sent by their
physicians"
DR.. Peyton objected to giving the ply
stefan absolute power, because legisla-
lures limit appropriations, but agreed
that, II possible. the warden should take
the advice OF the physician.
DIR. Daniel Phelan, surgeon OF the Do
minion penitentiary, Kingston, Ont.
speaking on the prevention Of Crime
and Insanity" assailed the low class OF
immigrants as the curse" OF this coun-
try.
Men Mostly Hereditary.
AS all men are fuzzy four ifths heredi-
will depend upon circumstances, assoei-
atoms. education, example, habit. moral
training and other external causes. II Is,
therefore. evident that each individual
will live according, with slight variations.
to the usual habits Of thinking, feeling
and acting. as his ancestors. There may
be on the surface q sufficient propriety
Of conduct to conform to the general
usAges OF society; his Unborn nature may
be concealed by a veneer. but underneath
is the real man with all his averslons to
be employed in every emergency. There
FORE II we desire to lessen crime. insan-
ity and other forms OF dsgsneracy. we
should hesitate TO accept the low class OF
emigrants from foreiGn and other nations
without due care and considerable
They are the curse Of the country. More
than one generation would be required.
despite the most favorable conditions. So
cial and religious. to transform q man
other than he Is; Il would. indeed, require