“I believe that Virginia has advanced pari passu with other States. To begin with, the indeterminate sentence, with its inspiring hope, holds much not only for the future of the convict, but for every day of his prison life. It insures, too, to a great extent, better everyday conduct. This in turn helps largely to eliminate corporal punishment, which is one of the most potent causes of mental and physical wrecks among our convicts. Of course, with lessened need for corporal punishment comes lessened need for other punitive measures, namely, solitary confinement, bread-and-water diet, dark cell, etc., all of which present dangers to the physical welfare of the convicts that check our criticisms of the horrors of barbarism.
“Another step taken here in Virginia that has reached far forward was the erection and fitting of the modern sanitary building which takes care in the most approved manner of about one half of our convicts at the penitentiary proper.
“Another step forward, and one of which the wisdom and far-reaching consequences for good cannot be over-emphasized, is the law that directs that, at the discretion of the judge, all men with jail sentences, and all men sentenced to the penitentiary for from one to five years, shall serve their sentences at hard labor on the State road force.
“This is a great advance, especially in ridding our jails of short-sentence men, who formerly served their time in idleness, filth and disease—men who usually entered jail as criminals and in fair health, to leave as devils incarnate and probably tuberculous.
“At the Virginia Penitentiary we have the constant and loyal support of the Board of Directors, Superintendent and their aides in obtaining and maintaining hygienic and sanitary conditions and in all that pertains to the health of the convict. I venture the assertion that few places, whether prisons or private dwellings, are kept more rigidly clean and sanitary than the cells of the Virginia Penitentiary. As an educating feature alone to the colored convict, this is well worth treble its cost and trouble. Sufficient ventilation is looked after constantly. In the old building we cannot claim perfection on this important score, but in the new building I believe we can. Ample bed covering is provided—this appeals to everyone as a very necessary adjunct to proper guarding against tuberculosis. The food at our penitentiary is ample, and after hundreds of examinations I can say that I have always found it wholesome. However, whenever a convict comes before the daily call and appears to need more nourishment it is our custom to give him milk as long as it seems necessary. It has been our plan for several years at the penitentiary to diagnose any cases of tuberculosis as early as possible and then have them sent immediately to our State farm to receive the benefits of open air combined with dietetic and other treatment deemed wise by our farm surgeon. The tent system at our State farm has been of inestimable benefit.
“It is a blot on our good name that we still have the bucket system in our old building. I wish to take advantage of this opportunity to strongly urge the necessity for the abolition of this system here and elsewhere.
“At the Virginia Penitentiary it is our custom to thoroughly fumigate the cells that have had in them tuberculous convicts. Our hospital wards are all regularly fumigated. Especial care is given to the fumigation of mattresses and convict clothing. Our convicts are taught from time to time the necessity of not expectorating on the cell and factory floors and walls, and we post liberally signs admonishing everyone not to expectorate on the walks.
“As will be seen we are merely endeavoring to put into operation those methods known nearly universally as the methods whereby tuberculosis may be prevented and cured.
“One recommendation I desire to make—and it is one that we will all agree is of very considerable importance—is that all cells, hospital, kitchen, dining room, factory, etc., be screened from flies.
“In my opinion this one recommendation, if carried out, would be a strong check to the spread not only of tuberculosis, but to other diseases as well. Another recommendation that would prove of undoubted profit to the State and a check to the spread of tuberculosis is that all convicts be required by law to spend as much as one to two hours or more a day in the open air exercising systematically. This—shall we call it recreation-health-exercise?—time, of one or two hours, could be arranged when contracts for convict labor were made.”