The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-10-13
CURE DREAD T-B'
IN STATE PRISON
Tennessee Has Taken Steps to
Stop Consumption Spread
Behind the Bars.
BEST OF Care FOR PATIENTS
Formerly Penitentlary Sentence Waa
Death Sentence for Large Number
Of Men-Some Gave Plague
to Those Outside.

to Those Outside.
Joliet, nl.-Of the multiple curses
of prison life tuberculosis has
been considered far from the least.
Convicts developed or contracted ii
during their term, and when dis
charged carried it out into the world
| with them.
1t is the "hoary specter that haunts
and communicates the Old-time cell
blocks common to many Of our famous
penal institutions" says the Joliet
Prison Post Of Illinois, which presents
an example of the new order of things
in the model hospital of the state pris.
on of Tennessee. The article is sum
! married. in the Literary Digest.
Since the first penitentiary was built
in the latter state, more than CEN
fury ago, the writer informs us, thou
sands have died within the walls from
tuberculosis, or if they survived, have
transmitted the germs to their fami-
lies and associates. Thus innocent
and guilty have suffered together, hav-
ing battled feebly and futilely In
their ignorance of the first principles
of sanitation, and have died." Con-
| ditions gradually became so menac'
ing that in 1915 the state legislature
passed bill appropriating $4,000 for
the erection Of tuberculosis prison
hospital, and by this act the old sys.
tenn was wiped out, for
Bad Times Past.
'"The time was past when the sick
and healthy were placed together
| within narrow cells. The time was
past when term of years in the state
prison carried with it sentence to
| almost certain death, to fight against
| overwhelming odds with the inhu-
mainly of system that weakened the
| most robust; system that prepared
in most subtle way the human body
for the tentacles of the prison octO-
longer was the state prison to remain
q living death. Inmates of the state
prisons were to be treated as human
beings.
"Ten acres were staked out. Ten
acres adjoining the prison walls, but
as far as possible from the clang OF
the entrance gates. Ten acres as far
away as possible from the stone.
| tagged corridors Of the main prison.
but yet to be a part of it, for along
the line of stakes another wall arose
There were no factories within the
new Enclosure, there were no concrete
sidewalks that marked the path of the
inmates from their steel-barred sleep
| ing quarters to the doors Of the man
ufacturing plants or to the stone steps
of the dining halls.
"And in the middle Of the lot arose
the hospital building, constructed
along the most approved lines Of 9
modern hospital structure. Erected
planned to give the inmates a maxi
mum Of fresh air, recognized as the
most important weapon in the fight
for the cure of the disease. There is
nothing fancy or ornate about it. II
is brown-stained building in which
everything is sacrificed for the com
fort and welfare of the patients"
Everything Very Clean.
Ones first impression Of the place
the writer relates, is Of the "spOtless.
ness Of everything" The walls are
tot
are polished to the brilliancy of a mir.
ror. There are separate quarters for
white and negro patients, but they are
exactly the same in appointment and
the same quality is observed in food
treatment and attendance. Meals
which are said to be plentiful and va.
ried, are served by white-coated wait.
ers in a well-lighted dining room
"amid surroundings that suggest q
| well-appointed cafe instead of a mess
hall in penal institution, all OF
which, though, is necessary under the
approved system of fighting the
plague" The article continues:
During the day, unless reduced to
the third grade, which necessitates
the wearing of prison stripes, the pa
tients are permitted to go anywhere
| within the confines of the walls, only
being required to be back in the build
ing at roll call at the supper hour
Their time is their own, and may bt
used as they see fit, in reading or care
playing, or merely loafing.
"Over on the negroes side of the in
closure background has been laid of
and any morning or afternoon, wher
the weather permits, ball game ma!
be seen in progress. A guitar, banjo
and many decks of well-worn playin,
cards help in passing the time ava.
until patients are well enough to TAX,
their turns at work on the prison
farm.
'The T-B' patients, as they ar,
called, are not permitted to remain
idle after their condition improves 81
that they can work without injury
As the daily trips to the scale show
Improvement In weight, as their appe
tites return and as their general con
dition improves, they are sent to tn,
farm for light work or put at SOM
task inside the inclOCNre."
1 THE Sa<k RaS~saea9