116 BULLETIN 414, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICTJLTUEE. 



to do the work they are called upon to perform. Other camps, 

 especially those operated under the honor system, are more repre- 

 sentative of the convict class as a whole and are composed of men 

 of all ages and from many different walks of life. Prisoners over 60 

 years of age are not infrequently seen at work on the roads, but 

 since it is generally recognized that they are not able to do as much 

 work as younger men, allowances are made and they are permitted 

 to remain so long as they show a willmg spirit and conduct them- 

 selves in a proper manner. Others not at all accustomed to hard 

 manual labor also are employed on the roads, but are neither required 

 nor expected to measure up to the standard of more experienced 

 laborers, A cheerful attitude toward the work and a disposition to 

 abide by the rules of the camp are the principal requirements. 



In the Eastern and Western States very few diseases are found 

 among the prisoners in the camps. It is rather common to find one 

 or two cases of chronic gonorrhea in camps consisting of from 50 to 

 100 white prisoners, and several cases with a history of syphilis, but 

 without clinical symptoms, usually can be found by questioning. 

 Serious illnesses are very few and it is seldom that a prisoner is 

 obliged to lay off for more than one or two days at a time. 



Two camps were found in which cases of typhoid fever had occurred. 

 In each instance it was definitely ascertained that the disease had 

 resulted from the drinking of polluted water outside of the camp 

 supply. At both camps prisoners were warned against drinking 

 water from unknown sources and in addition to this each man 

 received the antityphoid inoculation. In one State, all persons who 

 were admitted to the penitentiary were vaccinated for smallpox and 

 received the antityphoid inoculation, but in general neither the 

 convicts in the penitentiaries nor those in road camps undergo either 

 of these treatments. 



In the southern camps, where a large majority of the convicts are 

 negroes, venereal diseases are extremely prevalent and in most cases 

 no attempt is made to prevent prisoners with these afflictions from 

 entering the camps. Superintendents of negro camps admit freely 

 that many of their men are suffering from venereal diseases in one 

 form or another and that they are greatly hampered in their work 

 from this cause. Mercury and potassium iodide always are kept in 

 stock and negroes showing symptoms of syphilis receive sufficient 

 treatment to enable them to keep at their work. In certain camps 

 negro convicts have been seen with fever, headache, mucous patches 

 in the throat, pains in the bones, and syphilitic scars and ulcera- 

 tions on the body, and it is said that convicts frequently are sent 

 to the camps in this condition and that it is useless to return them 

 for treatment because other cases as bad or worse may be sent in 

 exchange. It is a common custom when prisoners are transferred 



