684 



Dietaries of Labouring Prisoners in Indian Jails. [part iv. 



probable margin of error will be in favour of the native prisoner as regards the 

 quantity of food which would be accorded to him on a computation made on such 

 a basis. According to such a computation the maximum daily allowance of water- 

 free alimentary principles to persons of a mean weight of 110 lbs. would, in round 

 numbers, be 3 oz. of albuminates, 15 oz. of carbo-hydrates, and 1 oz. of fat. A diet 

 of this character would contain a little over 200 grains of nitrogen and a little less 

 than 4,000 grains of carbon, 



78. In the foregoing chapter the question as to how far labouring dietaries in 

 Indian jails exceed or fall short of such a standard has been fully considered ; and as 

 it is difficult to summarize details of this kind with clearness, a tabular statement has 

 been prepared of the nutritive value of the principal forms of the maximum labouring 

 .diets at present, or recently, in force in the various provinces. But, instead of repeat- 

 ing what has been said as to the extent of the variations from the above standard, the 

 body-weight for which each scale should suffice has been added in a separate column. 

 The calculation has been made on the assumption that the 270 grains of nitrogen 

 contained in the maximum dietary of the English Local Prisons is sufficient for a labour- 

 ing prisoner weighing 145 lbs. Nitrogen has been taken as the basis of the computation 

 because, in the first place, a certain amount of nitrogenous substance is absolutely necessary 

 in all foods and cannot be replaced by any other alimentary principle ; and, secondly, 

 because it is manifest that in a diet partaking so largely of vegetable substances, as does 

 that of the bulk of the population of this country, it is not likely that a deficiency will 

 occur in the carbonaceous principles provided the nitrogenous are adequately supplied. 



The Nutritive Value of the principal Maximum Scales of Diet fm^ Labouring Prisoners 

 at present or recently in force in India ; together with the weight of individuals for 

 which each scale is estimated to be sufficient when computed on the English Local 

 Prison standard, viz., 270 grains of Nitrogen for a body-weight of 145 lbs. 



* The average weight of adult Bengali prisoners is usually given aa about 100 lbs. ; and that of Beharii and Natives of Upper 

 India generally, as about 110 lbs. 



