The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-27 00:00:00

PRISON DIETARY SCALES.

The thirtieth report on prisons in Scotland, which
has just appeared, contains an official communica-
tion, furnished by the resident surgeon of the
General Prison for -Scotlani, relative to certain
dietary scales now in use in the prisons of Edin-
burgh and Glasgow. It appears that the Glas-
gow scale supplied to male prisoners con-
tains 31.5 nitrogenous, 136.0 carbonaceous,
and 54 mineral constituents per ounce, as com-
pared with a diet authorised by the Secre-
tary of State, which contains 34.6 nitrogenous,

127.0 carbonaceous, and 5.2 mineral constituents ;
that the latter contains 28 oz. of meat per week, ,
but that the Glasgow scale h is no meat except that
included in the soups and broths. The Edinburgh
scale is the same as that in use at Glasgow,
with the addition of 6 oz. of bread and half an
imperial pint of milk daily. It is evident that
these scales are defective in meat ; and ex-
periences that hare been gleaned during the past
few years from the chief prisons of the United
Kingdom go to prove that convicts undergoing long
terms of imprisonment, unless supplied with a fair
allowance of animal food, speedily become the sub-
jects of scrofulous diseases. This fact is confirmed
by the terms of the report above quoted; and we
entirely subscribe to the opinions expressed by Mr.
Thomson and Dr. Christison (who was deputed to
assist at the inquiry), that" hard labour and the de-
pression of mind of convicts do not admit of low
dietary scales ; and if there is a failure of health and
strength in the early months of imprisonment, it is
difficult and expensive to restore this class of
prisoners to vigour for work." This subject has
become of greater importance since the discontinu-
ance of transportation for crime ; for the class
which now undergoes penal servitude in the prisons
of the United Kingdom, in lieu of transportation, is
usually composed of men whose constitutions are
deteriorated by vice and privation, and whose phy-
siques require therefore to be raised rather than
lowered. We do not advocate the coddling of cri-
minals ; but on the score of economy as well a 3 of
humanity, it is wise to diminish the list of medical
comforts by increasing the supply of butchers' meat.
—The Lancet.

A controversy between two editors in Texas is
thus described :—" The shooting scrape between Somers
Kinney of the Times, and Tracy of the Union, grew out of
some severe persout..l remarks abjut each other in th-ir
papers. Tracy was the attacking party. He had been
waiting some time for Kinney in Szubo's cotton ware-
house, near the Times office. At last Kinney appeared,
unconscious of danger, when Tracy commenc3d firing
upon him with a six-shooter. He shot widely, and killed
a little toy, a son of Mr. Mockle, who was passing in the
street. He fired three or four times. As I understand
Kinney was not hurt. That individual stood it like a stone
wall, daring his antagonist to come out and give him a
fair chance. A tremendous crowd soon gathered, and
Tracy WAS fanged Wad Dmat off."

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