§ 32. Lord HUGH CECILasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the forcible feeding and medical treatment of a female prisoner recently confined in Perth prison, and whether he has made inquiry into the case; and, if so, what is the result of that inquiry?
§ 33. Mr. PRATTasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the condition of Miss Frances Gordon on her release from Perth prison on 3rd July; and whether he will make a statement on the subject?
§ 37. Mr. T. M. HEALYasked the Secretary for Scotland whether Miss Gordon, suffragist prisoner in Perth, was released on the 3rd July, having been in prison from the 22nd June; whether he is aware that on the 24th June forcible feeding began and continued twice a day on the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th by injections into bowel; that subsequently, until released, injections were made into bowel three times a day, as well as forcible feeding once or twice a day; whether the prisoner was not allowed to see what was injected, but told that it was salt and water to do her good; whether matter was not retained, and stained the clothes which she brought out with her with a dark green stain; why was she allowed to see soap and water enemas which were given but never this; whether, when she was asleep, she was dragged to the edge of the bed on the side and the injections given by wardresses; whether the quantity of food given by the tube had to be diminished every day but was never retained; whether he is aware that after her release Dr. Mabel Jones, M.D., certified that on the 3rd July her appearance was like that of a famine victim, the skin brown, her face bones standing out, her eyes half shut, her voice a whisper, her hands quite cold, her pulse a thread, her wrist joints slightly swollen, stiff, and painful, the breath most offensive, and the contents of the bowel beyond control; and will any inquiry be held into this case?
The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. McKinnon Wood)Miss Frances Gordon was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for breaking into the mansion house of Springhall, near Rutherglen, with intent to set fire to it. Among the articles found on the premises were three flasks of paraffin and other combustibles, and a revolver. The prisoner fully admitted her intention to set fire to the house. I asked for and received a report from the prison doctor which contradicts a number of the allegations contained in Question 37, of which the most important are the statement as to her treatment when asleep, and the statement that the quantity of food was diminshed day by day and never retained. The doctor states that he is convinced that she had undergone a course of systematic drugging before entering the prison. She was found to be suffering from sickness and vomiting shortly after admission and before she had been fed or received any medical treatment in the prison. She was not fed till the 25th of June. On admission she was at once put to bed and treated as a sick prisoner. Her condition required the administration of enemata, and I have no reason to doubt that in the circumstances the doctor treated her case properly and humanely. The doctor states that there was very little difference in her appearance when she was discharged. She was carefully examined before leaving the prison, and the doctor states that there was no swelling of the wrists; that she made no complaint of pain; that she was able to converse, and did converse freely with the doctor's assistant who accompanied her on the journey to Glasgow; that it is true that the breath was offensive, but that it had been offensive from the date of admission; and that generally the statement as to her condition is exaggerated.
§ Lord HUGH CECILMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can lay on the Table the reports he has received from this medical officer; and whether in his answer he is guided wholly by the opinion of the medical officer whose action is called in question, or whether he has any independent opinion?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI must be guided by the report of the medical officer who was responsible for this matter. I will consider the question of laying the report. I should like to do so.
§ Sir W. BYLESHas the right hon. Gentleman seen the report of Dr. Jones, 2095 and does his answer mean that the statements in that report are in the main, inaccurate?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe report of Dr. Jones is largely founded on statements made by the prisoner herself, and not on the observations of Dr. Jones. The answer I have read deals with the allegations in that report.
§ Mr. T. M. HEALYIs it contemplated whether it is possible to establish facts by an independent inquiry, especially having regard to the fact that under somewhat analogous circumstances in Ireland the late Government sent an independent doctor to investigate prison treatment in Ireland?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe statements are, of course, historical statements, as to what had taken place in the past. The prisoner has been released, and I do not know by what means I could test those statements. I do not see at the moment how an independent investigation could arrive at fresh facts. If it could I would be willing to grant it.
§ Lord HUGH CECILIs it not very unsatisfactory that the medical officer's statements about his own action are to be treated as conclusive as to that action?
§ Mr. FREDERICK WHYTEMay I ask why these women prisoners have in all recent cases been sent to Perth prison?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe reason is that we have there doctors who are accustomed to deal with those cases and are thoroughly skilled.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILWill the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to answer so much of question No. 37 which states that Dr. Jones certified that—
Her appearance was like that of a famine victim the skin brown, her face bones standing out, her eyes Half shut, her voice a whisper, her hands quite cold, her pulse a thread"—
§ Lord ROBERT CECILThe reason I did not do that was that part of that was answered.
Mr. McKINNON WOODI think the only thing I can add to what I have said already in the reply which dealt with most of the details of the woman's condition, is to say that she was able to walk to the 2096 cab and from the cab to the railway station, and in the railway train she was able to sit up and, as the doctor puts it, admire the scenery and chat with the doctor's assistant.
§ 34. Mr. F. WHYTEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether the process of forcible feeding is at present being carried out in Perth prison; if so, whether he receives regular medical reports as to its effect upon the health of those prisoners who are subjected to it; whether he has received any report as to its effect on Miss Frances Gordon; and, if so, whether he can assure the House that no unusual method of forcible feeding was employed in her case?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. There are two cases at present. As regards the second part, I receive reports from time to time as occasion requires. The remainder of the question has been dealt with in my reply to questions 32, 33, and 37.
§ Mr. WHYTEHas the right hon. Gentleman taken into consideration the provisions of the Temporary Discharge, Act which the Home Secretary does in cases such as these?
Mr. McKINNON WOODOne woman has been released from prison under that Act although she was subject to a year's imprisonment.
§ Mr. WHYTEDid not the right hon. Gentleman say there are other women in prison just now in Perth undergoing forcible feeding?
Mr. McKINNON WOODOne of those women was released under the provisions of the Act to which my hon. Friend refers, and the police authorities found very great difficulty in getting rid of her. They had to carry her about in an ambulance for three hours before she would consent to enter any house.
§ 75. Mr. WEDGWOODasked the Home Secretary whether he will issue a circular to magistrates advising that suffragette prisoners had better be admitted to bail pending trial, in view of the objections to forcible feeding?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)I cannot interfere with the magistrates' discretion in the matter of bail as regards these prisoners. I will, however, inform the prosecutors, whether the Director of 2097 Public Prosecutions or the police, that in my opinion applications for bail in these cases should not be opposed by the prosecution provided that the bail is in a suitable amount and, in some cases, the defendant gives an undertaking that she will not in the meantime commit other offences.
§ Mr. McKENNADid I receive their attention.
§ Mr. McKENNAI believe there were some outside my house, but they failed to recognise me as I left.