Medical Report on Mumia Abu-Jamal Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - "C. Clark Kissinger" |||Re: Mumia medical condition June 9, 1999 On June 8th 1 visited with Mumia at SCI Greene. The following is a report on his medical condition: The clear observable symptoms: The medical problem is localized to the left ankle. On the inside of the ankle there is noticeable discoloration (a much darker shade) that runs in an approximate 2" band from near the bottom of the foot to just above the ankle bone. There is also noticeable swelling in that area. Mumia's complaints: The condition is accompanied by pain and tenderness in that area which is not constant. The pain is less in the morning and worse at night when there is a throbbing feeling in the foot. Although this condition has persisted for over a month Mumia has experienced some lessening of the pain and tenderness of late. Perhaps this is attributable to a program of self-medication: Mumia saves up his salt packages from breakfast, lunch and dinner and bathes the foot in the evening in warm salt water. Besides doing this for the past week Mumia applies analgesic cream to the foot which he purchases from the commissary. Mumia experiences no other symptomology which he can relate: no weight loss, no dizziness, no loss of appetite. He has refrained from his daily exercise for over a month and still does not feel confident enough to run. However, he still fasts from Friday to Sunday. Medical attention: After finally being convinced to put in for sick call Mumia was seen by a physician's assistant (not a medical doctor or nurse) who observed his foot through the glass partition on June 8th. He was seen for less than 2 minutes and charged $3 for the visit. The physician's assistant suggested Mumia elevate his foot above his heart level and insinuated that Mumia will be seen by a qualified doctor or nurse in a few days." (It has not as yet happened this being June 10th). When asked if he wanted to see an outside physician (which would require a court order) Mumia asked me to wait until after he sees a qualified medical person and obtains a diagnosis. Family History: To Mumia's knowledge there is no history of diabetes or phlebitis in the family. However, his father died (of unknown medical causes) at an early age: 61 years. He was not obese, but short and stout. His mother died at age 66 from emphysema after smoking for 30 years. She was thin in build. Mumia is 45, approximately 6' tall and overweight, but not obese. Other relevant information: Approximately one year ago the prison authorities changed the footwear the residents on death row must wear. Mumia now wears a canvas-type slipper with virtually no arch support made in China. Sometime after this change he was diagnosed as having "planter's wort" but this condition resolved itself after Mumia refused medication. There are others on death row who suffer from foot pain since the change, but Mumia is unaware of anyone suffering from ankle pain or a condition similar to his own. Significantly, he was compelled to wear similar slippers while being punished for 6-7 years approximately a decade ago for refusing to cut his hair. He experienced no pain or other symptomolgy in the ankle at that time. A law suit was brought on behalf of all inmate by former attorney general of Pennsylvania Ernie Preate to void the new footwear policy. It was rejected by the court. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-06.12.99-23:05:40-29041