Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-03

woman, who is not only an authority on
questions relating to health but who, be-
cause Of several weeks Imprisonment in Oc-
coquan, knows whereof she speaks. Miss
Lavinia l.. Dock, who replies to Senator
Undertake, is by profession trained nurse,
is secretary of the American Federation OF
Nurses and member of the International
Council of Nurses. Among her many public
services may be mentioned the valuable
work done by her after the Johnstown flood
and during the yellow fever epidemic In
Florida Miss Docks reply follows:
Senator Undertakes report Of his visit
to Occoquan workhouse IL far too rosy and,
in fairness to the ordinary prisoners OF
the place, I should like to point out some
OF the defects of management as learned
IN thirty-day sojourn there as a suffrage
picket The insanitary features of the
womens division were
First The common drinking cup and
WATERFALL In workrooms and recreation
places. This is a detail universally con-
demned by boards of health. On complaint
we were given paper cups but the other
prisoners never have them.
Second. 'The lavatories in workroom
and laundry. The condition in these places
was made the subject of our emphatic pro-
test, and Mr.. Whattaker was requested by
us to record our criticism in writing. Con-
siderable improvement in cleanliness fol-
lowed but the places are structurally abom-
| Unable.
Third. The deficiency Of bathing soap.
At the weekly baths .(shower) the same
pieces of soap are passed from one prisoner
| to another. During the rest of the week
the women have no soap, except in very
occasional cases Chose who have very long
| sentences) or when they are able to pilfer
| a bit. And there are no stationary liquid
| or powdered soap fixtures in the lavatories.
| I'VE had an ample supply given us, but
| the other prisoners were absolutely soap
| less. The poor things felt this, almost the
| greatest deprivation and grievance that they
! had. AS a result of 1t, many of the mat
| tresses had a sour and unpleasant smell
Fourth. The lwretched cooking, by
/ which food that would Otherwise have been
sufficient or even good was made all but
| uneatable. Our vigorous and repeated
| complaints had salutary effect here, but
| at first burned or half-cooked vegetables
and hard, woody or leathery meat were of
daily occurrence. And It remained contin,l.
! ously true that .the cereals and macaron
were infested with weevils and worms
Every housekeeper knows this will occur
If these food materials are old or KEEP
under improper conditions. And every one
knows that II does not so much matter what
menu is provided as how It is provided. The
best food can be ruined in the kitchen.
I'VE cared not so much for ourselves
who were only there a short time, as fol
the other unfortunate Inmates, who had no
our fearlessness in complaint They mus
eat the food or starve, and to help then
we criticize asfpubicy as possible. The
dietary is deficient in sugar and fat. Surely
all prisoners might have sugar and mill
in their coffee.
Senator Timberlske win probably no
assert that he. could learn more in a visI
, than women learned in months stay
., CAROLINE KATZENSTEIN.
Philadelphia, September 80.