(H.) Report of the Physician. To the Inspectors of the Mount-Pleasant State Prison, the Physi RESPECTFULLY REPORTS: cian That during the past year, the convicts have been more healthy than for several preceding years, with the exception of the months of August and September. Early in the month of August, diarrhoea, and other derangements of the digestive organs, were very prevalent, and continued so until the latter part of the present month. Toward the close of the month of August, those complaints assumed decidedly the character of the premonitory symptoms, or first stage of spasmodic cholera: only five, however, took the extreme symptoms of that disease, all of whom recovered. The average number of sick, confined in the hospital, per day, for each month, is as follows: The average number prescribed for, per day, during the year, including those confined in the hospital, is 43. The deaths are as follows: Andrew Van Duzer, died October 13th: disease, chronic diarrhoea. Bescnti Dago, died October 23; disease, hydrothorax. Thomas Harley, died November 20; disease, consumption; sick when received into prison. Alexander Grey, died December 3; discase, consumption; sick when received into prison. John Robertson, died February 4; disease, chronic diarrhea. John I. Schermerhorn, found dead in his cell on the morning of the 12th February; had not previously complained of any illness. Verdict of the coroner, that his death was produced by epilepsy. Robert Nicols, died April 12; disease, consumption; sick when received into prison. James Madison, (alias) Myers, died May 10; disease, consump tion. Robert McConnell, died May 27; disease, dropsy. Andrew Sullivan, died June 12; disease, consumption. Thomas Green, died July 21; disease, consumption; sick when received into prison. Henry Jackson, died July 14; disease, consumption. Peter Jackson, died July 22; disease, hydrops pericardii. William Gordon, (alias) Joseph Graham, died August 3; disease, chronic diarrhoea. Sick when received into prison. Columbus Wood, died August 19; disease, typhus fever. Francis Fitzherbert, (alias) Fitzsimmons, committed suicide by drowning, August 20. John Wilson, (alias) Wilcox, died September 13; disease, dropsy; had this disease for several months previous to his being received into prison. Mount-Pleasant State Prison, A. K. HOFFMAN. (I.) Report of the Chaplain. The moral condition of the prison is not essentially different from that of the preceding year. There have been many cases of apparent penitence and reformation, and some of deep interest. It is not unfrequently found that persons exhibiting strong convictions, great sorrow on account of their confinement, and resolving to live a different life on their discharge, when they are sent out into the world, become involved again in crime; but it is an extremely rare occurrence, that a person who has given good evangelical evidence that he has been born again is found recommitted to this prison or to any other. Among all the recommittals to this prison, during the last five years, there has not been one of the above description that has come to my knowledge. Our Sunday school has been continued through the season with the same indefatigable devotedness on the part of the teachers, and with the same anxious interest and proficiency on the part of the convicts. In my late inquiries among the convicts on the subject of education, it is gratifying often to hear that they can now read very well, though they could not when they entered the pri son. During the past year increased efforts have been made to ascertain the conduct of men discharged from this prison. For this purpose a number of blank letters have been printed, which are to be addressed to post-masters, sheriffs, clergymen, or any person most likely to give the desired information. And while the result of this inquiry is, in some instances, encouraging to the friends of the institution, in general, it goes to prove, more and more strongly, the mournful fact, that with all the inventions and rigour of discipline, no mere human device can change the nature of man. With all the embarrassments of the situation, the means of moral and religious reformation are as successful as the most sanguine friends can reasonably expect. On the subject of education, I have formerly given the result of a tedious and very minute examination. The number of convicts in this prison, on the 10th of July The number recommitted to this prison, viz: having been in this prison before, was.. 436 125 162 JONATHAN DICKERSON, Chaplain. 55 |