The Sun.
London, England, 1810-07-19 00:00:00

THE HEALTH OF THE PRISONERS.

Froth the crowded sate of the gaol, without pro-
per bedding or sufficient •cloathing,• and under cir-
cumstances of disease and poi erty, a very consider-
able portion of sickness must prevail, and demand ,pf
016 Surgeon, a most laborious, painful, and' hazard-
ous duty, but though this is the case he can with
confidence assert, the average of sickness and ,morta-
lity for the last five years .has„ Providence,
been most favOorable ; ti,ii is chiefly attributable to
the excellent regulations laid down' by the libtiour-
able the Court of Aldermen for the conduct of the
lical attendant.; and the huthane and honourable
discretion allowed to him, in supplying the sick with
every necessary support during the Ortgress of
the disease, and the wholesome .accomModations
provided in the several Infirmaries.. .

Hoping the above opii,ions may coincide with
those of this Wotsinpful CoMmittee; I beg io sub-
scribe myself with much respect,
. Your most obedient humble Sefoant,
W. H. Box.,
•

APPENDIX No. It.

MR. HODGSON'S REPORT.

To the Chairman of the Special Committee of General

rturi)s.cb.

,
In Order to give fult eirel• to your. report, I
thought it'ptoper to lay betore you proceeding,, at
the time the necessity of building a neW'Cotnpier
was under colisi.teralion, and. it wil, be toinid
comparing my opinion with the statement of Sir Ri-
Chard Philli,:sys bu k, addrea•ied to the' ivery, there
is a concurrence of sentiment relative to the sate
the prisons and the necessity of a,ttew pri,on being
built ; without any personal communication thew-
on.. . • "

`ln the year 1804, an Atl of Parliament was pa,sed
for teint,ving the prrsoriers' front the Poultry, to
Giltspur-streetCompter. I was .apvrett,:tisiv,t the
crowding the prison, v ould ettd.inger the health of
the prisoners ; nor was ,tiy cunjvctire wrong,: for
tht'state"of tie priNoh, was ahaligru trom I,ealth,
to disease, from comfort, to unitappiness, which cc-
casioned in M itch 1805, the following craes.ions, by
the Sheriff's to_[ ,1 addressed to we, and toy answets;
to whiLh were annexed the opinions of the best
Authors who had written on gaol, and other con:-
tagious disease s, in confirmation of my answers to
ti,epropositions :

Q.: scion i. Is the prison An' its present sfiiie ca-
pable of receiving mid affording accommodation, for
any greater number of prisotias without imminent
danger to theit- fieaiths in the present season a and
suppose there beau increase, can the present num-
ber efintinue during Sutnlocr ihouttis without
danger of occasioning au evidernic or other danger-
ous ilisease "

Answer. I have thought. the2pricon in Giltspur.7
street, ino.t judiaiously planned both for trie health
of the prisoners, and safety of the metropolis fichit
contagious fever, and by..uhservation mode during
four years. successively having been appointed SUr-
geon, that the prisoners were not in general so
healthy in the YoultiY, as Giltspur-street, arose
from the difference of • the- -Cc:lnstruction of the
buildings. -

The prisoners Therefore being removed 'from the
Poultry, to Giltspur-street, :have created an incon-
venience, which may lead to dangerous consequences,
asthe prison since their removal 'has not preserved
its usua;cleaniiness, the fir 4; and most necessary oh-
jeCt towards the presery ition-of health, and which
principally arises front the quantity of prisoners; and
1-can, perceive their countenances bear an unhealthy
appearance, which am satisfied-results,' froth the
numbers being increased; therefore am pershaded,
at the present moment the acconnuodition is not
equal to the quantity of prisoners, 'and should no
epidemic, disorder exist, there will require sortie
material alteration, to prevent local distempers• being
engendered from within.

- •
Question 2. Are there any other inconveniences
in the prison likely to atieel the health of the prison-
ers, or Keepers, and.are there .any alterations, ad-
ditiOni, or other 'Measures, necessary to be taken to
remedy those inconveniencies i
Answer. There are no inconveniencies but what
have been produced by the 'increase of numbers,
which ate two.

1. 1:44.1 necessity of many sleeping in the sitting
wards.

2. The slinging of hammocks ever the beds tend
to obstruct the free ingress and egress of the air du
ring the night, as in so .close a ward the perspiration
naturally increasing during that period, together with
the natural circumstances which trust be attended'
to, the air must be rendered very unwholesome, and
either in moist, 'or hot weather' endanger the health
of the prisoners. I ;submit with deference a pai•-
tial relief might be gained by the assistance of ven-
tilators, but it is only to be remedied by enlarging
the prison altogether.

LUKE HODGSON, Surgeon.

March 12, dos.

While these questions were under consideration,
a committee Of Aldermen was appointed to ex--
amine into the state of the prison, and whose re-
port I understand coincided with the, above answers.
There only remains a few observations on the con-
.tinuance of the deplorable state of the Poultry,
and the crowded state of the Glltspur-street
COM pteri.
1. The situation of the Poultry for the 'Sick af,
fords tk• bppOrtunity for the Medical attendant to do
duty, and the removing them io the sick ward in
the Giltspur-streetCompter, would be attended with
danger -of communicating disease.
. 2. The prevention of disease in the Giltspur-street
CornP.ter rrsnits from the.assistance of an airy sick
ward, which ptiords the means of separating the
sick, from the healthy, thereby preventing contagious
infeclicin being communicated.

3. Notwi&tanding these advantages in' the Gilt
bpur-street Compter, I perceive as before stared the
countenances put on a sickly appearance, and the re-
moval' of the prisoners at night to the charge rooms
to sleep lays a foundation for chronic rheumatism.

ON: Printed by RICHARD HARRIS, of No. 4, Martlett-court, Bow-meet; and P
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