of all the prisoners, received during the year, as also the general character and habits of after life, until their commitment to the State Prison. The examinations made the past year, correspond, in their general results, so nearly with those of former years, and which may be found in former reports, particularly those of 1837, 1838, and 1839, that he has thought it unimportant to present them in the present communication. Intemperance ever has been, and still continues to be, the fruitful source of more vice and crime than all other known causes combined; and as this evil has, again and again, been noticed and urged on the attention of the government, it is deemed inexpedient, in this place, to go again into particulars.

The Chaplain feels that he cannot close his Report, without a brief reference to the unusual increase, in the number of commitments, which has taken place since the first of October last. For this increase, it is not his purpose to attempt to account. In connection with our system of discipline, based on separation and silence, with constant and strict supervision, and with the fact that there are, at this time, very nearly fifty more convicts than we have solitary cells in the new prison, rendering it necessary to occupy many of the large cells of the old prison, and that, too, in many cases, with more than one prisoner; this increase of numbers is of numbers is most lamentable, and threatens, in a measure, to sap the foundations of order and of morals, and to bring a dark cloud over the best hopes which have been cherished in regard to this institution and its discipline. To the wisdom and Christian philanthropy of those who frame and modify our laws, this subject is respectfully and earnestly commended.

Intimately connected with this subject, is the fact, that the chapel, where we meet for religious worship, morning and evening of every week-day, as also for public worship on the Sabbath, is altogether too small for the accommodation of the prisoners now in confinement. Since our number has exceeded three hundred, the Chapel has been uncomfortably. crowded, and in the heat of summer, it is altogether unsuited to the accommodation of a worshipping assembly.

But our numbers are now so much increased, that many cannot find seats in the Chapel, but are placed in a small room contiguous, whenever the convicts are assembled for worship. It is presumed that our Legislators will only need to be apprised of the evil, to lead them to such measures as the nature of the case may demand. Should they be satisfied that something ought to be done to remedy the evils consequent on this unhappy increase of numbers, they will, doubtless, clearly perceive, that not only an additional number of solitary cells, and a new and enlarged Chapel are much needed, but a more spacious and differently constructed Hospital is required for the accommodation and proper supervision and care of the sick, in order that all the different buildings and apartments attached to the institution, may be constructed with special reference to the system of discipline established, and the grand end designed to be secured. Very much that is desirable is often sacrificed, in such establishments, from want of attention to a suitable adaptation of all their parts to the great end proposed; and it is for this reason, principally, that the subject of the Hospital Building has been introduced in this connection.

The foregoing suggestions, in regard to present existing evils and their appropriate remedy, the writer has ventured to make, hoping that they may not be thought altogether inappropriate. If he has misjudged, he trusts it will be attributed to mere error of judgment, and not to any wish, on his part, to present topics which are foreign to the department of labor more appropriately his own.

All which is respectfully submitted.

JARED CURTIS,

Chaplain, Mass. State Prison.

To His Excellency MARCUS MORTON, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to the Honorable Council:

GENTLEMEN :-The number of patients admitted to the Hospital of this institution during the year ending 30th September, 1840, is one hundred and thirty-six. The aggregate number of days' residence in the Hospital, is two thousand, three hundred and fourteen. To this number should be added three hundred and eighty-five invalids for a day, and three hundred and ten days of light labor.

During the year, two have died, viz: April 5th, Joseph Francis, aged 33 years, of hydrothorax ;-May 20th, John Saunders, aged 26 years, of pulmonary consumption.

Years.

Average
No. of
Convicts.

Deaths.

1834

256

4

1835

287

3

1836

285

4

1837

288

5

1838

303

7

1839

316

5

Allowing that the number of deaths is unusually small the present year, yet if we take the whole number of deaths for seven years, and compare it with the average number of convicts for the same time, we shall find (as in the margin) the mortality to

be as one to sixty-eight and twofifths. A very favorable result, espe2,052-30-683 cially if we consider that, during the above time, no one has received the Executive clemency, who was at the time sick of any disease threatening his life.

The physician would not ascribe this success wholly to the drugs which have been dispensed in his department, but believes he has been greatly aided in the premises by the exemplary cleanliness observed in every part of the prison premises; by the abundant quantity and healthy quality of the diet afforded by government; by the regular employment, the strict,

impartial, and even discipline of this institution, administered as with parental kindness; together with the great pains taken to inform the minds, to improve and elevate the moral principle, and consequently to quiet the turbulent passions of the tenants of this place.

During the past year, a general vaccination has been practised in the prison. Of the whole number inoculated (304) forty-one only had the disease going through all its stages in a regular manner. And no one who had previously received vaccination or small pox, was of this number. In every such case, the disease either failed entirely, or stopped short in its progress before the twelfth day. From the above data, we learn that only about one in seven were unprotected from small pox, and, as I believe, that a single vaccination is as good a guarantee against small pox as can be afforded by any number of inoculations.

All of which is, with the greatest deference,

Most respectfully submitted by

WILLIAM J. WALKER,

Physician, Mass. State Prison.

Charlestown, Sept. 30th, 1840.