Interesting Tidbit

I found this while poking around about Fort Worth history online:

"While browsing my 1934 City of Fort Worth Map I noted an entry, United States Government Narcotic Farm southwest of Mansfield Highway and Wichita Streets in Forest Hill. Later maps show that site to be the location of a United States Public Health Service Hospital.I have a ca 1950's postcard view of the PHS hospital complex with the caption, "Located on a 1400 acre site with more than 50 buildings." Current aerial photos seem to show similar structures there. I have these bits of general information on the original purpose: In 1929, feeling that drug addiction was primarily a medical and social problem and that treatment of addiction by incarceration in prisons was illogical, Congress passed a law establishing two United States "narcotic farms" for the confinement and treatment of persons addicted to the use of habit-forming narcotic drugs. The first of these "farms," whose name was later changed to U.S. Public Health Service Hospital, was built at Lexington, Kentucky, and opened to patients in 1935. The second was established at Forth Worth, Texas, and was opened in 1938. The goal of the facilities was to use vocational and psychiatric therapy. The Lexington, KY facility was for all males east of the Mississippi River and all females nationally. The Fort Worth facility was for all males west of the Mississippi River."
"I did some digging and found that the facility is known as the Federal Medical Center, Fort Worth. It is classed as a male administrative facility and also has a hospice for terminally ill patients. You may recall that Whitewater Jim McDougal died there.There is also a Federal Medical Center at Carswell for females.Check the online aerial photo maps and you can see how extensive the campus is. "

WOW - I thought that was interesting - I've never heard the history of that. I knew there was a federal medical center over ther by TCC South Campus - knew that Al Lipscomb - the old Dallas dude that got in trouble - was over there for a while. I just never knew about the narcotics farm deal. Interesting.

Seems like locking up addicts would be a good thing to get them out of their addiction (or making them go crazy during detox) but apparently drugs are easy to find in prison. Curious world we live in, isn't it?