Federal Medical Center, Lexington
Encyclopedia
The Federal Medical Center, Lexington is a federal prison
in Lexington, Kentucky
housing 1,464 male inmates at high security and 296 female inmates at a low security camp.
problems and treat them, with mostly experimental treatments; it was the first of its kind in the United States. The 1050 acres (4.2 km²) site included a farm and dairy, working on which was considered therapeutic for patients
.
Among the research advances made at the Addiction Research Center were the characterization of acute and protracted drug withdrawal syndromes, recognition of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC) as the active constituent of marijuana, and identification of subtypes of opiate
receptor
s. Treatment advances included methadone
to treat heroin withdrawal, opiate antagonist therapy, and recognition of the role of conditioning in drug abuse relapse
In 1974 the institution became a federal prison but maintained a "psychiatric hospital" title until 1998, when 2 inmates killed another with a fire extinguisher. Most psychiatric patients were subsequently moved to other federal medical centers.
Housing units are:
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
housing 1,464 male inmates at high security and 296 female inmates at a low security camp.
History
The site opened on May 15, 1935 on 1000 acres (4 km²) under the name "U.S. Narcotics Farm" then changed shortly after to "U.S. Public Health Service Hospital". In 1967 it changed its name again to "National Institute of Mental Health, Clinical Research Center". Its original purpose was to treat people that "voluntarily" were admitted with drug abuseDrug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
problems and treat them, with mostly experimental treatments; it was the first of its kind in the United States. The 1050 acres (4.2 km²) site included a farm and dairy, working on which was considered therapeutic for patients
.
Among the research advances made at the Addiction Research Center were the characterization of acute and protracted drug withdrawal syndromes, recognition of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Tetrahydrocannabinol
Tetrahydrocannabinol , also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol , Δ1-THC , or dronabinol, is the main chemical psychoactive substance found in the cannabis plant. It was first isolated in 1964. In pure form, it is a glassy solid when cold, and becomes viscous and sticky if warmed...
(THC) as the active constituent of marijuana, and identification of subtypes of opiate
Opiate
In medicine, the term opiate describes any of the narcotic opioid alkaloids found as natural products in the opium poppy plant.-Overview:Opiates are so named because they are constituents or derivatives of constituents found in opium, which is processed from the latex sap of the opium poppy,...
receptor
Receptor (biochemistry)
In biochemistry, a receptor is a molecule found on the surface of a cell, which receives specific chemical signals from neighbouring cells or the wider environment within an organism...
s. Treatment advances included methadone
Methadone
Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and a maintenance anti-addictive for use in patients with opioid dependency. It was developed in Germany in 1937...
to treat heroin withdrawal, opiate antagonist therapy, and recognition of the role of conditioning in drug abuse relapse
In 1974 the institution became a federal prison but maintained a "psychiatric hospital" title until 1998, when 2 inmates killed another with a fire extinguisher. Most psychiatric patients were subsequently moved to other federal medical centers.
Housing units are:
- General Population
- Antaeus
- Bluegrass
- Cardinal
- Younity
- Drug Treatment Units
- Veritas
- Mary Todd
- Psych Units
- Commonwealth North and South
- Medical
- Health Care Unit
Notable inmates
- Silvia BaraldiniSilvia BaraldiniSilvia Baraldini was active in both the Black Power and Puerto Rican independence movements in the United States in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
Italian political activist - Wayne KramerWayne Kramer (guitarist)Wayne Kramer is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and film and television scorer....
Lead Guitarist of the MC5MC5The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson... - Red RodneyRed RodneyRobert Roland Chudnick , who performed by the stage name Red Rodney, was an American bop and hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
Jazz trumpeter who gave Kramer music lessons and played in the Chapel with him. - William Burroughs an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer.
- Chet BakerChet BakerChesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer. - Zoot SimsZoot SimsJohn Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano.-Biography:He was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. Growing up in a performing family, Sims learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age...
American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano. - Lee MorganLee MorganEdward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
American hard bop trumpeter - Red RodneyRed RodneyRobert Roland Chudnick , who performed by the stage name Red Rodney, was an American bop and hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
Bop and hard bop trumpeter
External links
- Federal Bureau of Prisons weekly population report
- The Narcotic Farm - documentary film
- The Narcotic Farm - documentary film on drug addiction research from 1935 at the Addiction Research Center, Federal Medical Center, Lexington.