I’ve labored long, and labored hard, to make myself some riches. But I'll gladly pay good money, to the guy that will snitch on the son-of-a-bitch, who smeared my floor with honey.
The regulations at Alcatraz decreed: “There is no commissary at Alcatraz... The institution supplies all your needs. ” From the beginning this rule created conflict between the administration and working inmates, especially for the prisoners serving long sentences, who had little interest in building savings accounts. Alcatraz was the only prison within the federal system that did not allow the purchase of special toiletries, candy or even filtered cigarettes. The administration controlled purchases by inmates, which were limited to authorized magazine subscriptions, musical instruments, and only a handful of other articles.
The Prison Hospital
The Prison Hospital at Alcatraz.
The X-Ray suite. Many inmates trained to become X-Ray technicians, and found successful employment following their release.
The Operating Room as it appeared in 1956.
The “Bug Room.” Note the ubiquitous tile surface, even on the door. The barred door resembling a cell is actually the entrance to the hospital shower.
The hospital ward at Alcatraz was located at the west end of the prison on the second floor, directly above the Mess Hall. The Hospital was accessed via a stairwell leading from inside the Mess Hall entrance and was completely isolated from the rest of the prison. A Bureau of Prisons bulletin described the medical facilities at Alcatraz in further detaiclass="underline"
The U.S. Public Health Service provides medical faculties and staff for Alcatraz, as well as for other federal penitentiaries and correctional institutions. The Alcatraz Hospital, adjacent to the main cell house, is equipped with modern x-ray and physical therapy apparatus, operating theater, laboratories, and dental unit, and contains wards and individual rooms for the treatment and convalescence of inmate patients. It has been certified by the American College of Surgeons and compares favorably with the up-to-date hospitals and clinics in the free community.
The medical staff includes a chief medical officer and highly trained technicians, all career personnel of the Public Health Service. Specialists from the Marine Hospital in San Francisco also are available for consultation and to augment the permanent local staff. Three San Francisco Physiatrists are employed to counsel and treat Alcatraz inmates and they visit the island frequently in the performance of their duties. Inmates whose mental disorders indicate psychotic trends or continuing deterioration are transferred to the Medical Center at Springfield, Missouri.
There were also two designated isolation cells that were known by inmates as the “Bug Rooms” were constructed in the later years of the penitentiary. These small rooms for special confinement only measured approximately 8’ x 8’ x 10’. The interior surfaces were completely covered with ceramic tiles that were pinkish in color. The door was also covered with a matching tile surface and light entered through fogged translucent glass tiles that were smoothly set into the walls. One of these rooms was equipped with only a hole in the floor for the inmate to relieve himself. There was a small clear glass pane that would allow observation of the patient, and a small rectangle portal that was used to pass in food and medicine. The two cells were only used in the most of extreme cases of mental instability.
Sick call took place after the noon meal each day. Former correctional officer Frank Heaney would indicate in his book Inside the Walls of Alcatraz that an estimated ten percent of the inmate population showed up every day in the sick line. Many exaggerated their illnesses in efforts to break the monotony, or asked for sleeping medications to help them deal with the stresses of confinement.
Alcatraz in War Time (1942 – 1945)
World War II Soldiers from the 216th Coast Artillery Regiment manning a 40mm anti-aircraft gun positioned on top of the family apartments.
During World War II, Alcatraz became a prominent contributor to the war effort. This was the one period during which the inmates and administration stood together. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, the Mat Shop was quickly converted into a cargo net factory. The netting manufactured in the Industries would be used to protect the harbor from submarine attacks. The inmates would also be responsible for the maintaining the marine buoys that held the nets, and making field jackets for field soldiers. Former inmate Jim Quillen recalled when he first entered the recreation yard in 1942, the sight of inmates cheering from the bleachers as Naval ships passed the island with sailors lining the decks. The inmates’ work was inspired, and they took great pride in their contribution.
As a result of the prison’s contribution to the war industries, Alcatraz also became an enemy target. Fears of a Japanese attack became pronounced among the citizens of San Francisco and Alcatraz would renew her role as a military fortress. Like their Civil War predecessors, the military strategists of the day recognized the strategic position of Alcatraz. The Military positioned three 40-mm anti-aircraft guns atop the main cellhouse and apartment building structures. Air-raid drills were performed for both inmates and island residents. Captain of the Guards, Phil Bergen, assumed the role of Air Raid Warden in addition to his normal duties. During drills, a special siren would be sounded and Alcatraz would go into blackout mode. Every light was required to be doused in efforts to reduce the chances of being bombed by enemy aircraft, though the lighthouse shutdown would only be simulated. The inmates were trained to take cover beneath their cell bunks while under attack, but it became obvious that this would offer them only minimal protection. The island residents were required to retreat into shelters located in Building #64, and Phil Bergen would be tasked with inspecting the island dwellings to insure that everyone complied with the blackout regulations.
The stationing of a military unit at Alcatraz also created a unique challenge for prison officers and their families as the young soldiers were integrated into the living arrangements of the island. They were provided access to the recreational facilities and as a result, several romances blossomed. The young soldiers were often idolized by many of the teenage daughters of correctional officers. Bergen would later comment that several officers were not shy when it came to establishing the “stone rules of dating their daughters.” It was an exciting period for the teenagers, as the bowling alley and dance hall became popular hangouts on weekends.
With time, it became evident that the fear of enemy attack which had inspired the establishment of a military base on Alcatraz was not entirely unfounded. After the war, it would be confirmed that Japanese submarines had patrolled the waters and plotted attacks just outside of the San Francisco harbor.