Evening journal., 1911-11-01

The physicians named some time ago
to investigate and report upon condl-
tions at the New Castle County Work
house submitted their report to the
worlkhouse trustes this morning The
physicians who made the Inspection
and report are Mayor Harrison W.
Howell. DR. Peter w. Tomlinson, Dr.
Irvine NJ Finn, DR.. John Palmer. Jr,
Dr. ] Paul Lukens and DR.. wizard
Springer. Their findings do not bear
ont many of the charges made by Up
ton Sinclair following his release from
the workhouse
The complete report of the physi-
\ clans is as follows;
Wilmington, Del, Oct. 27, 1911.
To the Honorable the Board of Trus-
tees of the New Castle County
Workhouse.
Gentlemen: Having been requested
by your secretary to investigate con-
4 ditions at the workhouse suggested
4 by the criticism appearing in the
4 press of our city and elsewhere, and
4 further to recommend such changes
4 as may to us seem expedient, we
herewith submit the following report
Your Honorable body not having
& specified any particular condition 20
=
N investigate, or course to pursue. and
having selected physicians only 10
make this investigation. We have re-
stricted our work to the consideration |
of the health of the prisoners and the I
sanitary conditions OF their ENVIRON
ment
In our visits to the various depaft-
ments we failed to find any evidence
of uncleanliness on the part OF tas
management, but in some OF 1ne cells
individual carelessness on the part Oh
the occupant was to be opser1ee, al'u
in the tuberculosis Hospital as mere
noted.
While we found no vermin, we do
not doubt from the prevelancy OF the
same the difficulty that such instltu-
tions have with these pests, and the
environment of criminals previous 70
their prison life, that at times tney
may be present.
Criticism has come to our notlce oi
certain uufavorable conditions obtain
inc i'm the workshop, viz:-of the open
toilets. the unsanitary condition oil the
cuspidors, the overcroWdlng ana me
insufficient ventilation. We deem tne
onen closets absolutely necessary loI
nroper discipline, and we DO not ma
any unpleasant odors coming tneIo-
sarv TO the users of tobacco, we i"uhu
,s clean as could be expected under
tbe circumstances, having careiul
dailv attention. The atmosphere IN
the shop was apparently pure, Dut Ia
constellation of the size OF the RON
and the number of men employed
therein. we feel that with weather such
&c to nrevent the windows being KEPT
s,,Hicientlv omen. the air would become
& s.;tiated In our conversation with the
',,'iso,,ors some of them complained 81
heing chilly then, although the out
side femperature was moderate, whlch
shows how difficult It is to MAINTAIN
nroner ventilation, and at the same
time keep the prisoners comtorIaDle
This same condition prevails IN tne cor
M ridors adjacent to the cells. we ledrn
" from the management that there Is
great deal Of complaint from the ptis-
oners about having their "lnuo"s of0"
while in their cells.
Modern teaching and method oi
.orobatine disease insist upon open
windows while sleeping, and we would
recommend that sufficient underwear
he furnished to permit ample Venu-
1ation in the workshop in all KINDS Oh
weather. and bed clothing suthcient 20
slIow omen windows during sleeping
hours With these precautions, the
rreaent danger from overcroWdihg
would be obviated.
we observe some whitewasneu
walls. We deem this unsanitary, be
cause the germs of disease cannot DC
DESTROYED by covering them up,
neither can the walls be properly
cleansed .,,..,or
seemed to us TO meet the require
ments. -,t,,1,v
oonsidared Your committee was
present at the preparation and serV-
ING of two meals on different oc-
(. casions. and found the food ample and
The ouality good. We recommend
however. that some plan be instituted
whereby the coffee, soups ana Vege-
tables NAV be served hot; the need d
this being suggested by the prisoners
and verified by our own observation
The contention that the difference
between nine cents per day TOT tn'
A food of the prisoner, and thirty-hv'
cents of that of the guards is an mus
1 81. tice." will not hold so long as QUALITY
an quantity OF food is sufhcient lol
the proper sustenance OF the prisoner
& and we saw no evidence to the con
@ trsrv There was very little left OF
81 tbe mates when meals were finished
The criticism that many OF thu
4 81 nrisoners we're suffering from scurvy
{z* nroves to be without foundation, not I
case being found.
The silent system which has beel
referred to. is as we observed 1t, no
LIS detrimental 70 the health Of the pris
- oner and seems to be necessary 10
proper discipline and the comfort o
4|& the majority of the inmates. In tn
q 2 workshop this rule is not rigidly en-
s 8S forced.
Fro~- medical STANDPOINT. dail