Compare Documents

During the past few days unauthorised reports have been put in circulation regarding the health and mental condition of Oscar Wilde since his imprisonment in Pentonville Gaol. One report went so far as to state that Wilde had been placed in a padded room on account of his having developed violent insanity. From inquiries made in official quarters by a Morning reporter, it appears that the facts of the case are as follows :—

On the Monday morning following his conviction Wilde was conveyed to Pentonville, and, after passing through various preliminary ordeals, was handed over to the prison doctor for examination. This medical inspection is rather a long process in the case of persons condemned to hard labour. The doctor was apparently satisfied with the condition of Wilde, and passed him as "fit" for first-class hard labour—which means six hours on the treadmill daily for the first month, and the performance of other arduous duties.

When the doctor had "passed" Wilde he was given his first dose of prison medicine. This consisted of a certain quantity of bromide of potassium, which is administered to all prisoners at stipulated intervals. In the case of a new prisoner, such as Wilde, this drug is given more frequently than to those who have served some time. For three days Wildo took his medicine without complaint, and performed his allotted task on the tread-mill. At the end of this period, however, the changed conditions of life began to toll upon him, and he was suddenly taken ill. His illness commenced on the fourth day after his admittance. It was an attack of diarrhoea. This was followed by mental prostration and melancholy. For a time little was thought of his condition, as it was put down to what is known as "a prison head "—a complaint most new prisoners suffer from owing to the preliminary dose of bromide of potassium. This drug is said to produce in some people extreme melancholia. As soon as Wilde’s case was diagnosed the doctor discontinued the use of the drug, but his condition did not improve, and he was thought to be in such a bad state that he was removed to the infirmary, where he was placed in a bed surrounded by swoons, and watched night and day. At the end of two days the diarrhoea stopped, and as a marked improvement was noticed in his state, he was taken back to his cell.

The melancholia, however, continued. The doctor again examined him and ordered him to be placed on the second-class work. He gets up at 6 in the morning and proceeds to clean and wash out his cell. At 7 breakfast, consisting of cocoa and bread, is served. After the meal the prisoner is given an hour's exercise, and then returns to his cell to pick oakum until 12 o'clock. Then dinner, consisting sometimes of bacon and beans, sometimes of soup, and one day a week of cold meat, is brought to him. At half-past 12 he resumes the work of oakum picking, and continues thus engaged until 6 o'clock, when tea is served. At 7 o'clock he goes to bed.

This is now the daily routine of Wildo's life. He is compelled to pick a certain quantity of oakum, per day, is not allowed to converse with any one, and, with the exception of his hour's exercise, is kept in solitary confinement in his cell. He is still suffering from a form of depression, but is said to be improving daily, although for a time his mental state gave the prison officials—who have treated him with the greatest kindness and consideration—some anxiety. With the exception of the melancholia, he has enjoyed fairly good health since his removal to Pentonville.

UNAUTHORISED reports have been put in circulation regarding the health and mental condition of Oscar Wilde since his imprisonment in Pentonville Gaol (says REYNOLDS'). One report went so far as to state that Wilde had been placed in a padded room on account of his having developed violent insanity. From inquiries made in official quarters by a reporter it appears that the facts of the case are as follows:—

On the Monday morning following his conviction Wilde was conveyed to Pentonville, and, after passing through various preliminary ordeals, was handed over to the prison doctor for examination. This medical inspection is rather a long process in the case of persons condemned to hard labor. The doctor was apparently satisfied with the condition of Wilde, and passed him as "fit" for first-class hard labor—which means six hours on the treadmill daily for the first month and the performance of other arduous duties.

When the doctor had "passed" Wilde he was given his first dose of prison medicine. This consisted of a certain quantity of bromide of potassium, which is administered to all prisoners at stipulated intervals. In the case of a new prisoner, such as Wilde, this drug is given more frequently than to those who have served some time. For three days Wilde took his medicine without complaint, and performed his allotted task on the treadmill. At the end of this period, however, the changed conditions of life began to tell upon him, and he was suddenly taken ill. His illness commenced on the fourth day after his admittance. It was an attack of diarrhœa. This was followed by mental prostration and melancholy. For a time little was thought of his condition, as it was put down to what is known as "a prison head"—a complaint most new prisoners suffer from owing to the preliminary dose of bromide of potassium. This drug is said to produce in some people extreme melancholia. As soon as Wilde's case was diagnosed the doctor discontinued the use of the drug, but his condition did not improve, and he was thought to be in such a bad state that he was removed to the infirmary, where he was placed in a bed surrounded by screens, and watched night and day. At the end of two days the diarrhœa stopped, and as a marked improvement was noticed in his state he was taken back to his cell.

The melancholia, however, continued. The doctor again examined him, and ordered him to be placed on second-class work. He gets up at six in the morning, and proceeds to clean and wash out his cell. At 7, breakfast, consisting of cocoa and bread, is served. After the meal the Prisoner is given an hour's exercise, and then returns to his cell to pick oakum until 12 o'clock. The dinner, consisting sometimes of bacon and beans, sometimes of soup, and one day a week of cold meat, is brought to him. At half-past 12 he resumes the work of oakum-picking, and continues thus engaged until 6 o'clock, when tea is served. At 7 o'clock he goes to bed.

This is now the daily routine of Wilde's life. He is compelled to pick a certain quantity of oakum per day, is not allowed to converse with anyone, and, with the exception of his hour's exercise, is kept in solitary confinement in his cell. He is still suffering from a form of depression, but is said to be improving daily, although for a time his mental state gave the prison officials—who have treated him with the greatest kindness and consideration—some anxiety. With the exception of the melancholia, he has enjoyed fairly good health since his removal to Pentonville.