Chap. VIII.

BRITAIN .

G07

The gas-lmrncr is provided with a pipe for the escape of the unconsumed carburetted hy-drogen, which, when the light is burning, also contributes much to the purification of theair in the cell. No opportunity seems to have been lost for rendering everything necessaryfor the prisoner’s use availablefor maintaining a free andregular ventilation : the quan-tity of air necessary for com-bustion, as well as to supplythe loss of that which is de-teriorated by respiration, hasall been provided for; and avery small room, in whichthese matters have been con-sidered, is far more healthythan one of large dimensionswhere they have been ne-glected. In our crowdedbridewells and prisons no pro-vision was made either forventilation or for the removalof accumulated filth : to walkthrough such a building pro-duced feelings the very op-posite to those which we ex-perience in this well-orderedand cleanly model prison;many were without a commonsewer; cesspools were theonly receptacles, covered withtemporary boards, or someother material easily taken up,for the purposes of constantly

removing the contents: hence it could hardly be supposed that gaol fever could beeradicated, or that the walls, with the constant lime-whitening to which they were subject,could be free from putrescence or infectious miasma: when contrasted with the under-ground dungeon of the middle ages, our receptacles for prisoners may be considered as animportant progress in civilisation.

The interior of the frame, from which the supply-pipes and cocks branch to the severalb.asins, is shown in the annexed figure.

Fig . 5G8.

PLAN OF BASINS IN THE TWO ADJOINING CELLS.

Fig. 570. FRAME SHOWING THE SUPPLY COCKS.

Fig . 5G9.

CISTERN .

The central hall and corridors, which are open from the pavement to the roof, enablethe officers on duty to see all that passes to the door of each cell. Each block or wing iscalled a division, and distinguished by letters, A, B, C, 1). The cells on the ground floor,and on the level of the galleries of each division, are wards in the division to which theybelong. The ground floor is No. 1., the first gallery No. 2., and the upper gallery No. 3.Ward. The cells in each ward are numbered consecutively, the odd numbers being on theleft-hand side when looking from the centre hall, and the even numbers on the other.Each prisoner has a small brass plate, which is suspended to his button, on which is en-graved the designation of his cell, the letter of his division, and the number of his ward.