The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-16

county jails and specifies the condition of the Jefferson County jail as typifying the evils referred to by the report.
 Since 1t is net within the scope of the | Convict Department to correct the un- sanitary condition of the jails, Dr. Bragg suggests that the Legislature should ers act laws to reduce the mortality caused by diseases contracted in unhealthy pris- ons.
 The full text of Dr. Bragg's report fol. lows:
 Full Text of Report. | Montgomery, Ala, Dec. 10. 1902.
 Hon. J. M. Carmichael. President Roara convict Inspectors:
 Dear Sir-Under Section 444s of thu code 1t becomes my duty to file A bien. nial report as Physical Inspector of Con- Wcts for the preceding two years. to- sether with such suggestions as may seem pertinent.
 Since the report of my predecessor two years sinoe' the tubercuiar patients havy been separated from the non-tubercular. ana at inc Walls tubercular ward has been established, where those thus af- | hicted are cared for.
 VI have had among State convicts l'1 deaths from all causes, out of a pris- on population of 3,o70; this includes deathn rom disease. accidents, murder. etc. Up- on the whole the general condition and health of the convicts has been better than at any previous time since the adop- ton of the lease system, and with one ex- | cepuon, there has been no epidemic of any kind. This exception was at Coal burg In March of the present year. when severe form of diarrhoea manifested it. self, but by change of diet and water. q thorough cleansing and disinfSction this was stamped out in a few weeks. At Pratt Mines, the other camp where con- victs are worked in the mining of coal the health has been better than ever be- fore.
 Tn view of the bad condition of things | at Coalburg Ca place totally unfit for a prison) I made a written report to the Governor, which resulted in abandoning this camp and the removal of the State convicts to a new camp, known as Flat Top, and owned by the Sloss- Sheffield Co. A new and model prison. well located and ventilated, with all necessary modern sanitary appliances, has been constructed at this point. and as the site is an ideal one. the health of the prisoners confined there should be excellent.
 "As you are aware many of the con-
 
 | labor either at saw mills or in turpentine farms. and while some of these prisons are of very crude construction lowing to the healthy environment of the various localitieO the condition of the prisoners has been excellent. While many of these prisons are deficient In air space, all that have been constructed under this admin istration have an abundance of this pre- requisite. As general rule the food fur nished at these camps has been sufficient In quantity, and satisfactory in quality. and the various contractors have carried out my instructions in this regard with out stint.
 Condition Bafies Description.
 'The death rate among convicts must ever remain high, in my opinion, without a radical change in the administration of justice, and the temporary confinement of those awaiting trial in the various 1ails of the State. The condition of many of the jails in Alabama beggars description; prisoners are herded in them like sheep. with no ventilation, no sanitation, no bathing facilities and no change of cloth ing (although they may be confined for months), rocking with filth and covered with vermin; this with food of the rough est and poorest character not only invites but produces disease. This is a mild pic | ture of existing conditions in many of l the jails of the State. Those suffering | from constitutional and contagious dis eases are placed in the same room and cells with the healthy and have known strong and able bodied prisoners placed in jail come out both physical and mental wrecks. In fact it is no common occur renee to receive a prisoner in the peni- tentiary who literally brings his death certificate from the jail, and it is further known that prisoners have had executive clemency extended to them because death would have claimed them before they could reach the penitentiary.
 '"These conditions are not altogether due to the Sheriffs or keepers of the 1ails, but to an utter disregard in construction, of sanitation and cleanliness of every kind. Cleanliness covers the whole field of sani- tary labor. Cleanliness of air, cleanliness of water, cleanliness of the prison, clean liness of food and cleanliness of person. All of these are in mans power and all are essential to health. Every prison keeper should have the advice of physi- clan who should be a plumber In theory, should understand the best plan of drain age and disposal of offal, should be well up on the subject of ventilation, should understand thoroughly the quality and quantity of food supply, and what con stitutes a water supply of sufficient quan-
 
 should be as the physicians of China who are employed not to cure disease but to prevent 1t.
 Modern penology demands improve ment all along the line. Certainly the State should remedy this, and in my opin- ion every jail should be put under the ab- solute control of an inspector who should have power to remedy these defects. When this is done the death rate among con victs in Alabama will be reduced to a minimum, and the criminal will not be obliged to serve his sentence at the cost of the State in a hospital.
 Serve Sentences in Hospitals.
 "I disclose no secrets when l say that numbers of prisoners received. principal l ly county convicts. 80 immediately into | the hospital and there serve their entire | sentence This is notably the case with | those received from Jefferson County | Many county convicts are convicted on the most frivolous charges, given sen | tence of a few days. with cost h!ll eX tending to the very limit of the law. So | universal has this practice become in 1 some sections of the State, that t would