TART iv.J Suitability and Nutritive Value of the Dietaries, 



651 



The average daily nutritive values of the dietaries of light, industrial and hard 

 labour convicts in English Convict Prisons. 



It will be observed, as already remarked, that no very marked difference exists in 

 the nutritive values of the labour dietaries in force in the two kinds of English 

 prisons. Taking the diets of the " over four months " class in local jails and the hard 

 labour class of convicts, we find that there is only a difference of seven grains in the 

 nitrogen contained in their daily rations and of 191 out of a total of over 5,000 grains 

 in the carbon. 



20. This dietary appears to have been adopted on the recommendation of a 

 special committee which sat in 1864, and has therefore been in force from sixteen to 

 seventeen years, though there were some small modifications made in the original scale 

 as regards giving it more variety by Lord Devon's commission in 1870.* 



In 1878-79, again, a special commission (of which Lord Kimberley was president) 

 was appointed to inquire into the working of the Penal Servitude Acts. The results 

 given in their report (already referred to) as regards the dietaries are highly satisfac- 

 tory. In paragraph 101 the commissioners state, "We are also satisfied that the 



* This I gather from the following evidence given by Dr. Gover, the present Superintending Officer of 

 Convict Prisons, before the Royal Commissioners in 1879 : — 



Question 1575. — Are the prisoners weighed ? Yes. 



Quextion 1576. — Do they increase in weight? The general tendency amongst the convicts is that thev 

 gain in weight. 



Question 1577. — You gave evidence before Lord Devon's Commission 1 I did. 



Question 1578. —I see that you were asked, — "Is it the rale in yoar experience that prisoners lose 

 weight at Milbank ? " 



^'Ansicer. — Yes ; I find that they lose weight now somewhat more than they did, * * I think that about 

 one-third of the prisoners lose in weight, speaking roughly, that is to say of the ordinary convicts"/ Since 

 that time the diet has been somewhat altered. 



Question 1579. — In what respect has it been altered 1 It has been somewhat improved. There is more 

 variety in the diet than there used to be. 



Question 1580. — There was a change in the dietary, I observe, in 1864? Yes. 



Question 1581. — Since that time there has been another change ? Yes. 



Question 1582. — Are you quite satisfied with the dietary ? Quite satisfied. 



Minutes of Evidence, Vol. II, page 123. 



