64 REPORT 1861. 



was 3*37 grs. per oz. in the tailors, and 3"18 grs. per oz. in the weavers, giving 

 a daily emission of ISS'S^l- grs. in tlie former, and 148*5 grs. in tiie latter. 



Faces. — The general character of the faeces was homogeneous and mode- 

 ratelj' cohesive, but on a few occasions there was a variety in the consistence. 

 In the 52 observations 32 exhibited faeces formed but soon subsiding, 7 

 well formed, 1 scybalous, 2 soft, and 9 of mixed character, and no one per- 

 son offered any marked difference in these characters. The bran of the brown 

 bread was easily seen in the faeces. The average daily evacuation was 

 6'98 ozs. in the tailors, and 8'52 ozs. in the weavers, giving a total daily aver- 

 age of 7*75 ozs. There were somewhat considerable daily variations, so that 

 the maximum and minimum quantities were, in the tailors regarded separ- 

 ately, 11*41 ozs. and 4*32 ozs., and in the weavers 14*42 ozs. and 1*72 oz., 

 but in no instance was there the omission of a daily evacuation. 



The quantity of nitrogen per cent, found by Mr. Manning by the volu- 

 metric method varied from*71 gr. to 1*16 gr. in the tailors, and fi'om '97 gr. 

 to 1"35 gr. in the weavers; but the total average in the two classes was '93 

 in the tailors, and 1*12 in the weavers, giving 1*025 gr. in the whole. 



The total daily elimination of nitrogen by the faeces was found to be 

 27*43 grs. in the tailors, and 40*93 grs. in the weavers. The variation in the 

 amount of faeces on Sunday from that of other days was not uniform, since 

 it was less in the weavers and was equal in the tailors. 



It will have been observed that there were many differences in the results 

 obtained from the prisoners occupied in the two kinds of labour ; and as one 

 of the objects had in view was to show these differences, the two trades were 

 selected which, in that prison, offered the greatest dissimilarity in the amount 

 of exertion required. 



Of these two sets of prisoners, the weavers of cocoa matting, when com- 

 pared with the tailors, were older, taller, heavier, and broader; they ate 

 more bread, milk, and water. They lost weight, whilst the tailors gained 

 weight. They emitted more urine, urea, chloride of sodium, and faeces with 

 their contained nitrogen ; they exhibited much less diminution of urea on 

 the Sunday, and a little less urea to body-weight. 



It is not possible to compare the results of this inquiry very closely with 

 those already described at Coldbath-fields, since in the latter inquiry the 

 quantity of bread and water was rigidly fixed, whilst in the former there 

 were daily variations. The quantity of bread taken was greater at Wakefield 

 than at Coldbath-fields, and would so far increase the amount of urea pro- 

 duced, whilst the variable quantity of Avater taken from day to day would 

 vary the elimination of that product. Yet these causes of variation are not 

 of great value, and upon the whole it will be seen that there is a very close 

 correspondence between the products of the weavers at Wakefield and those 

 who worked the treadwhecl at Coldbath-fields. 



The weight of the men at Wakefield was more than that at Coldbath-fields, 

 the quantity of urine and of fluid drank was less, and that of urea was greater, 

 but the proportion of urea to body-weight was very nearly the same. In both 

 there was more urea with labour, and less on Sunday. There was less chlo- 

 ride of sodium in the urine as there was less supplied in the food. The weight 

 of the faeces and the contained nitrogen were the same in both places. 



Conclusion. — The Committee cannot close this first part of their report 

 without offering a few remarks in the nature of deductions or suggestions, 

 but, inasmuch as the duty confided to them is limited to a consideration of 

 the influence of prison discipline over the bodily functions of the prisoners, 

 and the present is only a part of their report, they feel that they cannot 

 express their views at any length. 



