The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-07-18
tuberculosis Cases.

| sHAeAA-'
Tuberculosis Cases.
I'VE believe it is fact as said by a
member of the board that the build
! ing could not be made more sanitary,
if the. present floors were taken up
and new ones put in, if the walls were
washed with carbolic acid or if the
entire building made anew. If it IS
necessary that the hosiery mill be
abolished because it is not sanitary,
then every building within the walls
| should be torn down and the institu-
ton destroyed. Instead of tubercu-
losis being on the increase, the condi-
ton with reference to this disease has
steadily improved. This is trre as to
the deaths from this disease among
those employed in the hosiery mill as
we'll as in other departments within
the walls. From 1900 to 1905, inclu-
sive, there were SO deaths from tuber-
culosis among the employees of the
mill, while from 1906 to 1910, inclu-
sive, after the tuberculosis hospital
had been established, the fatality of
this disease was reduced to a total OF
p. During this period there have
been 200 to $50 con7icts employed
regularly in the mill. It must be re-
membered that many of the unfortu-
mates contracted this disease before
coming to the penitentiary, and it is
common occurrence for the county
chaingang to send in prisoners be-
cause they have the disease. A great
many also come from the county jails.
"The tuberculosis hospital, which
was highly commended by the board
of health is as perfect as could be de-
sired. The convicts suffering from or
threatened with tuberculosis are i'm
mediately placed in this hospital and
given the best treatment that medical
science can devise. In their recent in
spection of the prisoners, the board
of health, in an examination of seven
ty prisoners, found only one case, in
which a psychological examination
confirmed tubercle bacilli.
Health Conditions Better.
"The great improvement in the
health of the inmates, of this institute
has no doubt been largely due to the
new cell building and sleeping quar-
ters completed in 1902. The old build
ing was damp and unheated, but even
the board of health makes no COM
plant as to the new one, excepting to
recommend certain changes, especial
ly in the toilet arrangement which will
be adopted. During the last year from
the prisoners employed in the hosiery
mill, which averaged from 200 to $50,
there were three who died Of tubercu-
losis. Of course, it is impossible toI
say whether these unfortunates con-
tracted the disease while working I'M
the mill or elsewhere, and it is equally
unfair to charge their deaths up
against the condition existing in the
hosiery mill. The only objections toI
the hosiery mill offered by the board
of health in their recent inspection
was that the work of the employees is
confning, outdoor work being prefer
able. The board did not find fault with
the sanitary or other arrangements in
the mill, but merely concluded that
the work required of the convicts in
the mill was too confning.
Work Hours for COnyictS.
"The convicts employed in the hos
iery mill work on an average of ten
hours a day, and while the work of
ONE of them requires close atten-
attention to the knitting ma
chine-it is no more detrimental to
their health than is similar work done
by thousands of free white people in
the numerous cotton and knitting
mills throughout the State, and in!
this section; in fact We are confident
that the sanitary condition and the su-
pervision of the health Of the convicts
working in this mill is much better
than that enjoyed by employees in
private industries of similar character
and that the danger to their health is
correspondingly less.
eve therefore, respectfully submit
that in nowise can the hosiey mill be
considered a public nuisance and in
nowise can it be considered dangerous
to the health of it's employees, other
in tho ppnitpntia