The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-07-06
PHYSICIAN EXPLAINS
TIE DALE CASE
interesting Communicate Concern.
ing TIE Way conv;c.s Are Treated
r tie 2;s.,,.rck Sta.e Penitentiary.
Tie Editor. Independent Minot,

y. Il:
My attention has been drawn to an
article, in recent number Of your
paper, regarding the treatment OF in
mates Of the state penttentiary and
e. pecially Of the danger OF health and
life of inmates.
This article is misleading, in that
it MAKES 1t appear as II conditions
naturally inherent in such institutions
We're due to the harshness or inhu
mainly Of the officials. The writer
has been familiar with the medical
work o. the institution under all
wardens except the first, Mr. d. Will
liams- since It was established ana
knows that at all times the wardens
and othar officials have been diligent
in protecting the health of the in
mates
For the past three years all inmates
have been examined medically, on ad
mission, and if the history or personal
examination shows that he is unfit
for hard work he is not required to
do It,
When the attending physician re-
ports an inmate sick AID unfit for
work, such inmate is at once excused,
and if necessary, sent to the hospital.
II an inmate dies the county coro.
ner holds an inquest and, in addition
to the evidence Of the attending ply
sician, an Independent physician IL
called in, who usually makes an au
topsy, and test;fies as to the actual
cause Of death.
From this it will be seen that the
state takes more precautions to pro-
tect the health and lives of the In
mates than of citizens outside, and it
is proper that it should.
AS far as work in the Irvine plant
being a menace to health and life, the
mortality statistics or even the sick
reports do not bear this out.
The death rate in the institution is
lower than in most, if not in all, the
cities of the state, and as a matter
of fact there was only one death in
the year 1910, and that In no way
due to unhealthy or insanitary condi-
tons. During the present year there
has been one death, of man receiv-
ed in a dying condition who was sen
fenced to one year at rard labor
| In regard to the particular inmate
spoken of in the article, 1t is hard to
imagine that he intended to convey
the impression that he was not well
treated as conditions would allow.
When admitted he gave no history Of
consumption in his family and moth.
Ing In his personal examination indi-
Gated tendency to that disease H
was therefore assigned to the usual
routine OF work. When the symp
toms indicated that he had consump.
ton he was removed to the hospital.
placed on special diet ana encouraged
to spend most OF his time out of doors.
Afterwards he was placed in tent
and allowed to stay out Of doors all
the time and, without any suggestion
on his part, steps taken to obtain .
pardon for him, on account Of hh
health.
Although he probably did not know
at the time of his admission, It ap
pears that sister and uncle OF his
died Of consumption and it is quite
possible that he would have been af-
flicted with the disease even if he
he'd never been in The institution.
Under the best Of conditions the
life of the inmates Is hard and mon
otonous one. but I believe that it is
unfair to the officials to give the i'm
preston that they do not treat their
charges with fairness and humanity.
Respectfully.
F. r. sMYTH, III.
Prison Physician,