The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-10-20
MAHR TO INSPECT
PRISON INMATES
Process of Inspection is Accepted BY
Medical Profession as Most Ad-
vanced Step by Department.


conservation Of publis health regard
less of environments, recognizing tha
4 a public charge is entitled to the ful
benefits afforded by modern science
is the key note of the state of Okla
homa, was demonstrated here wheI
State Commission of Health J. C
Mahr, and staff of specialists begar
the inspection Of every inmate Of tht
state penitentiary.
The process of inspection as inaug
urated by Dr. Mahr is being accepted
by the medical profession as the most
advanced step yet undertaken by the
state department of health. Each in
mate of the state prison is being ae
corded a most critical examination by
the specialists who were chosen by the
state commissioner of health for their
ability along special lines of scientific
work. AS a result the prisoners are
being subjected to a more thorough
inspection than befans the lot of the
average man.
Some highly interesting develop
ments are being brought to light which
viii no doubt have an important bear
ing on the subject of criminology
and disease. A complete report on each
prisoner is being compiled by the va
rious specialists, and this report will
be rendered to the governor and the
state legislature
Warden R. w. Dick, who is daily in
attendance at the investigation. is en-
thusiastic over the cooperation he is
receiving from the state commissioner
of health.
Warden Dick said today: q deeply
appreciate the responsibility of caring
for more than twelve hundred inmates
of the state penitentiary as it involves
more than the Imprisonment of my
charges. Because a man is so unfor.
.tunate as to be committed to the state
prison is no reason why the state
should not feel obliged to conserve the
health and life of the individual dur
ing the term of service. The usual
means at our command in the hospital
service of the prison can hardly be ex-
pected to accomplish the results at
tanned by the specialists brought here
by Commissioner Mahr. I have seen
enough to convince NE that the in
vestigation now in progress is being
conducted by men who know their bus
mess, and that our inmates are being
given the benefit of scientific work
never before attempted in state pri-
son in the west. I find that the prison
ers are elated and are willingly sub
mitting to the inspections and special
treatment offered.
Unquestionably the result of this
work will stand to the credit of the
state and I have ETAOI IIIIIIDLWG
state and I believe will do much to
solve the perplexing problems involv-
ed in the study of criminology"
The process of inspection is highly
interesting. The prisoners are strip
pee and pass before the specialists
who make a critical examination for
the defects to be found in their respee-
tive fields of work.
The specialist on mental and nery-
Gus diseases has a difficult task as
number of prisoners are clever en-
ough to feign insanity. The eye, nose
and throat specialist is accorded a
clinic seldom found. The specialist on
skin diseases is perhaps the busiest
of the staff, as he has to deal with the
most perplexing problem of prison all
diseases. From the
general practitioners down to the bac-
teriologist who examines sputum, and
the Bertillion specialist, who measures
and photographs the subjects. the pro-
cess of designating and classifying d. +
seases is being carried on with a rapid /
ity and thoroughness that is being free
ly commented upon.
The specialists conducting the work
were chosen by State Commissioner of
Health Mahr, who is personally in
charge of the work Each specialist
renders a separate report on each sub
ject This report, when cooated. viii
become state publication. It will be
illustrated with numerous photographs. /
The visiting party consists of the fol
lowing DR.. ]. c. Mahr state commits
sioner of health; Dr. c. R Day. Okla /
homa City. skin diseases; DR.. A. D. |
Young, Oklahoma City. mental and
nervous diseases; Or. w. z. Wright +
Tulsa, surgery; Or. f. F Davis. Okla
homa City. ear, eye. nose and throat /
diseases; DR. S. E. Mitchell. Sugler. +
general medicine; DR.. Claud Thomp- +
cOn NTr,sI-ou,o rrc~--,r ,-,-.-s-s.--.