406 [ASSEIHBL? 



winter. These children had about sixty cubic feet each, for the six" 

 school hours, equal to ten cubic feet per hour, when each child should 

 have had ten cubic feet per minute. Ventilation was unthought of^ 

 until recently, and now in consequence of the position and arrange- 

 coent of the building, it is very imperfect. 



The dormitories of the House of Refuge hare each an area of 

 less than two hundred cubic feet. When the door is closed on the 

 inmate, his bed, which is about eighteen inches from the floor, is 

 extended nearly across the cell, diminishing by so much its atmos- 

 pheric area, and intercepting almost wholly the communication 

 between a very small opening at the bottom, and another at the top, 

 and one in the middle, of the door. Those openings were intended, 

 but are wholly inadequate, for ventilation, even if no bed were there. 

 For the perfect decarbonization of ftie blood, the air in each dormi- 

 tory, at the lowest proper estimate, will remain sufficiently pure for 

 the space of thirty minutes only, yet the youthful inmates are locked 

 in from 8 P. M. till 5 A. M., nine hours, with no other ventilation 

 than what I have described. Their work -shops cannot be said to be 

 much better supplied with air. The effects of this privation are 

 plainly marked upon the countenances, and geaeral physical devel- 

 opment, of the children. 



The general arrangement of the cells in the City Prison is but 

 little if any better. Besides the small window near the ceiling on 

 one side, air is admitted only through Jive auger holes in the door 

 on the opposite side, and these latter are of no service at night when 

 the inner door is closed. 



We now naturally come, in the course of this enquiry, to two 

 important questions, preparatory to the suggestion I intend to make, 

 of a remedy for these evils. 



1st. What is the effect of this degraded and filthy manner of 

 life upon the health of the individuals, and the duration of their 

 lives'? 



2d. What is its influence upon thehr morals, their self-respect, 

 and appreciation of virtuel 



The answer to these queries must have an important bearing upon 

 the moral obligations, the pecuniary expenses, and the order and 

 character of the City Government. If it can be shown that mudi 

 sickness and many premature deaths are results of these residences 



