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Health Issues and Medical Care in the Ohio Penitentiary, 1833–1907

Ohio, once part of the West, rapidly became a center for settlement and transportation as America continued to expand. Though not of the geographical size or population density of larger cities such as New York, Ohio cities such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus became hubs for industrialization and transportation even as the surrounding rural regions contributed significantly to the agricultural production of the United States. Columbus became Ohio’s capital city in 1816. Around the same time, the first buildings of what would become a large state penitentiary were located along the waterfront. Growing into one of the most significant penal institutions in the nation, the Ohio Penitentiary would occupy a central place in the state’s history for the next century and a half. Located on the corner of Spring Street near the Scioto River, the institution eventually covered twenty-five acres and held thousands of prisoners. Early in its history, the penitentiary’s officials recognized that inmate health should be a primary concern in day-to-day operations. A physician was appointed, and his reports began to be included in the annual reports to the governor. These documents included aggregate information about the health of all incarcerated inmates. Because these inmates were drawn from all over the country, examining their health and health care opens a window into the medical history of diseases present in the United States from