"Cells.—ln the disposition and arrangement of the cells, regard must be had to the following conditions :-1. The cells must be large enough to allow of the prisoners taking exercise, carrying on trades, and enjoying sufficient space air for the preservation of their health: the space should vary from 2S to 35 cubic metres. 2. They should be lighted up, ventilated, and heated in a suitable manner. 3. Their construction should be such as to alloW 110 communi cation between their inmates. 4. They should be furnished with bed and bedding, with a fixed •ash-hand basin with a tap ; with a \rater-closet, and with other necessary articles. The prisoners should also have the means of giving the alarm to the attendants, in case of illness or accident, or under any circumstances in which their presence might be neces sary. The prisoners should be subjected to an easy, but unperceived inspection.
"Special Cells.—In penal prisons, it is necessary to have a certain number of special cells for the infirmary, for special punishments, for the diffi:rent callings, and for prisoners on their first arrival. The cells for infirmaries, chiefly reserved for patients who cannot be suitably attended to in the ordi nary cells, should be more spacious than the former, and should be disposed in such a manner as to allow of the access of the attendants. One cell of that kind for every forty or fifty prisoners would possibly be sufficient. Cells for punish ment should be stronger than others, and should be built in such a manner as to be easily darkened, if necessary. One such cell would be sufficient for about 100 prisoners. The dimensions of the cells for the exercise of certain trades should correspond with the use to which they are put : they should be situated in preference on the lower stories, and their number must depend on the nature of the trades carried on in the prison. In prisons where prisoners are constantly arriving, a certain number of cells should be made, in which each prisoner may be placed temporarily, previous to being seen by the surgeon: and such cells might be of smaller dimensions than others.
"Heating and Ventilation.—Whatever the system of venti lating by heating may be, its result should he the following: —A sufficiency to each cell of fresh air, or, if necessary, of air tempered for each prisoner, without the inconvenience of draughts. The extraction from each cell of a quantity of foul air equivalent to the quantity of pure air introduced, and of the carrying on of the heating and ventilating without facilitating the means of communication, whether of sound or otherwise, between the different cells.
"Mr. Notch said, that excellent as the Pentonville prison
was, he could not help saying that many things were wanting to render that establishment perfect. All the medical men to whom he had spoken on the subject were of opinion, that the temperature shonld be lowered at night-time. The mode of ventilation was not good in Pentonville : and he would just observe, that it' people were satisfied with what was simply good, they would never have better. The question of ventilation was a most important one, particularly for nations which, unlike England, had no colonies to which criminals might be transported, and which were, therefore, under the necessity of detaining the criminals for a long time in prison. It must not be said that there was no way of bringing the fresh air into prisons conducted on the cellular system ; but rather urge architects to find out a plan to that ej'ect before the next congress was held. The system of ven tilation in Clerkenwell prison had been lately changed, because it was found to be a bad one. Mr. Thatch here showed the meeting a plan for procuring ventilation : the principle appearing to be, that fresh air should be applied from the lower parts of the building, whilst the foul air should escape from the roof of the house. He would just state one fact, to show that at Pentonville some improvements were required. About three weeks ago, he had been informed by one of the furnace or oven men of that prison, that it required thirty-six hours to lower the temperature.
"Colonel Jebb admitted that it would be better to admit air into the prison by means of open windows; but then such windows would admit of communication between the cells. Ile did not think that the present system at Pentonvillc could be well changed at present, without endangering the health of the inmates. Should the medical men, however, decide otherwise, alterations would be made. He thought that the present mode of ventilation would not act preju dicially on the health of the inmates during the eighteen months or so they remained in the model prison.
"The article in favour of the establishment of a central observatory of inspection was adopted ; as was also one relating to cells, with the exception of a sentence which fixed their space at from 28 to 35 cubic metres." The congress also adopted the following propositions : " Chapels.—The chapel should be so disposed as that each prisoner should join in the exercise of worship—seeing and hearing the minister officiate, without being himself seen ; regard being had, at the Sallie time, to the fundamental prin ciple of the separation of prisoners amongst themselves.