116 BULLETIN 414, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
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 willing 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 
