The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-17

Boards Report and Recommends
tiOns i'm Full
Columbia, May 10. - Passing
through Columbia late tonight, Gov
ernor Blease released for publication
the Penitentiary report from the
state board Of health, the principal
recommendation Of which is that the
hosiery mill be abolished Governor
Blease was shown the original copy
or the report, which early today had
been mailed to his office from DR..
ROBERT Wilson, Jr., Of Charleston,
chairman of the State board Of health.
The report goes into startling de-
tails about the tuberculosis condition
or 60 per cent of the patients In
some form or another more than half
the patients at the Penitentiary are
not imune from the dread disease or
symptoms of 1t.
tons was made following a message
to the General Assembly, from Cover
nor Blease, calling attention to ru-
rumors as to tuberculosis at the Pen
intentiary. The Legislature asked
the board to investigate the condition
Of the health of the inmates of the
Penitentiary.
The report follows
Mr.. a. X. Sanders. Chairman Board
of Directors, South Caroline Pentien-
tiary-Dear Sir: l have the honor to
transmit herewith the recommend
atoms Of the executive committee of
the State board of health for the
sanitary Improvement Of the Peniten-
tiary, made in accordance with the
following concurrent resolution ad-
opted by the General Assembly at the
last session:
BE 1T resolved by the House of Rep
resentativcs, the Senate concurring,
That the State BE- ard is hereby requir-
ed at as early day as possible, to make
a thorough investigation Of the sani-
taryN condition of the State Peniten-
tiary, and to take such steps as they
may deem necessary to prevent the
spread Of tuberculosis among the
convicts at the said State Peniten-
tiarv
ANY expense that may be incurred
IL putting the Penitentary in a sari-
tary condition shall be paid out Of
the funds ~ The Peuitentlary."
In compliance of this resolution the
executive committee of the State
board of health convened at Column
bia on March Is. and in company
with Col. d. j. Griffith, superintend-
ent, and DR.. f. w. p. Butler, pris-
on physician, visited and made a
thorough inspection Of the peniten-
uary. This inspection was later sup
plemented by a physical and bac-
THEOLOGICAL examination of a number
oil inmates made by the sub-commit
tee on State penal and charitable in
stiutions, together with the State
health officer and the director of the
laboratory, with the view Of ascer-
tanning the prevalence Of tuberculosis
In the institution. Seventy prisoners
were examined, of whom 21, or 80
per cent, gave clinical symptoms and
physical findings indicative Of tuber-
culosis; 21, or 80 per cent gave re-
suits which justified a strong suspic-
ion of tuberculosis, although a Dos
itive diagnosis could not be made. and
2S, or 40 per cent, gave entirely
negative results.
The meteorological examinations
confirmed the diagnosis by the finding
of tubercle bacilli in only one case
The committee on penal and chart
table institutions, however renort
that the meteorological examinations
cannot be regarded as thoroughly
satisfactory inasmuch as they had to
be made under conditions which were
not very favorable for accurate work
But in case n careful physical exami
nation will reveal the pesence Of .tu-
berculosis before the specific bacili
can be found in the sputum; where
fore. the result of the bacteriological
investigation does not set aside the
conclusions drawn from the phvsical
examination.
The following resolutions cmbody-
ing the recommendation Of the board
were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the entire board that the female pris-