ON PRISON DIET AND DISCIPLINE. 69 



class lose weight during their imprisonment ; and what is the tone of their 

 muscular system on discharge? The note also states that when they lose 

 weight the surgeon orders them to have extra milk, or bread, or meat. But 

 essential articles of diet should not be left to the chance of the negligence or 

 indiscretion of even the best of men. 



The Brecon Gaol offers a contrast to both of the foregoing. Thus, for 

 periods exceeding fourteen days, the prisoner receives six ounces of meat 

 with eight ounces of bread on four days in the week, and also half a pound 

 of potatoes if under, and one pound of potatoes if ovei', two months. On the 

 other days the dietary is only bi'ead and potatoes. For breakfast and supper 

 the dietary for all periods is eight ounces of bread and one pint of gruel, but 

 on alternate days the oatmeal is boiled in the meat liquor. There is also a 

 further advantage given in substituting for potatoes, when they are bad, four 

 ounces of rice and one ounce of treacle or sugar. The Middlesex prisons 

 also give six ounces of meat at one meal. In the Coldbath-fields Prison, 

 and the House of Correction, Westminster, twenty ounces of bread are equally 

 divided between the three meals. There is also a pint of cocoa to the highest 

 class (exceeding two months) and one pint of gruel to others', for breakfast ; 

 whilst at supper there is one pint of gruel to the highest class, and half a 

 pint to others. The dinner, besides bread, contains, in the highest class, six 

 ounces of meat and eight ounces of potatoes four times per week, or one pint 

 and a half of soup thrice per week. In the second class (two weeks to two 

 months) there is the same quantity of meat and potatoes twice, one pint of 

 soup twice, and one pint of gruel thrice per week. But in the lowest class 

 it consists of bread and gruel only. 



The Lincoln House of Correction at Spalding has also a dietary better 

 than that recommended by the Government, since, in addition to the meat, 

 there is allowed one pint of soup ; but the ingredients of the soup are not 

 stated. It has also the advantage of giving meat daily in the fourth and fifth 

 class, apart from the soup, and thus the important article of diet is evenly 

 distributed ; and since the soup is probably made from the meat liquor, it 

 increases the quantity of fat which is supplied to the prisoners. 



The Newgate Prison, Lincoln Castle, and the Pembroke Gaol are re- 

 markable in having but one scale of dietary each for all the prisoners, thus 

 avoiding the fallacy which results from varying the dietary according to the 

 term of imprisonment. They, however, differ very much in the quantity and 

 quality of food which they deem to be proper for their prisoners. Thus the 

 Newgate Prison and Lincoln Castle adopt Class 4' of the Government scheme. 

 The Pembroke Gaol affords only one quart of oatmeal gruel (the quantity of 

 oatmeal is not stated) and three-quarters of a pound of breajl for dinner. At 

 breakfast there is a luxury found only at this gaol, viz. tea and butter; so that 

 the meal consists of a pint and a half of tea, one pound of bread, and one 

 ounce of butter. The supper is composed of one quart of milk pottage (the 

 constituents are not given) and three quarters of a pound of bread. This is 

 a remarkable dietary, and one which on paper must be very satisfactory, 

 except in the absence of animal food. A foot-note states that " the surgeon 

 orders extra food when necessary;" but the nature of the food which he may 

 order is not stated. The largest quantity of bread is contained in this dietary, 

 viz. two pounds and a half of bread daily. We should like to know the 

 result of the entire avoidance of fresh vegetables, a circumstance also pecu- 

 liar to this prison, if the return be true. 



Another peculiarity is met with in the three Gloucester gaols (one of 

 which, the House of Correction at Horsley, is under the direction of a name 



