Solitary confinement.

Date:
[1829]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Solitary confinement. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    experiment is decisive, was cut off by the unex- struction, and the circumstances* of the confin- pected cessation of it. ed, affections of both body and mind were much The injuries which the convicts experienced more ,ikely to occr» than at Auburn, without in their health, is not to be wondered at, when any permanent injury to either taking place, we reflect upon the smallness of the cells where- It must be observed further, that Mr. Powera in they were confined. But that these indis.,0- says, «that with ^ the privileges enjoyed by positmns were slight, is rendered probable by a convicts at Auburn> insanhy is no uncomJ; fact m the report of the prison committee to the occurrence. There are severaI now (1828) mm iNew York Legislature, of January 1825,who, af- or less insane.» 85. This refers tQ /^ ter remarking that of 36 men confined in th« at work in the yard. What shall we sav to thb» cells of the Auburn prison, for varicus periods, Does not the fact mIlitate against ^^ £ from seven to twenty-nine months, none suffered bour, Certainl it does. and it m be use(J ^ m their minds, say, «a few who had been con- the same ; that the occurrence of ^ fined for a year or more, were stated to have • ,, , . ' ,., v .,. , .... . . ,„ . is adduced against solitary confinement. Icon- been indisposed with rheumatic affections, ere- . , _ neral debility, &c. &c; but when permitted to dude' fr°m ^ ''aS bee here Sa'd' cmm*t0 _.„.,.. , ,. c , , . , the assertion of Hamilton, and other writers, that go into the yard tor a few weeks, the fresh air . /.,.■■'-- ., . ,- ... , „ ;„. , , „ lite experiment of solitary confinement ivithout a- &. light labor generally restored them to health. >•„,.,, Tl„ „iM , I l •• • „. , bour, in Auburn prison, had not a fair TitiAi.and The Philadelphia prison inspectors make the r same remark.* e no argument can with propriety be derived from it against a similar punishment in the cells of Hamilton further refers to theiniurvof the »k« „„... ok i 111 •» *• l- 1 0 we uijui^ ui me the new Philadelphia penitentiary, which are 8 intellects of the convicts in the cells. It is true, by 12 feet> and the hlghest point of lhe ceilin|f Mr. Powers says some of them became mad. 16 feet, with yards attached 8 feet wide, and 20 It would have been singular if they had preserv- iong. The convicts will be comfortable while ed their senses, considering the verv wicked ;~ *u~ -_n wi u lU » -i 1 . ' b wick.cu in tr,e ce]]s> and ti,ey can nave tbe ja,]v a(jva„ class ot men who were confined, their want of f ^ f. ..'• c 1 1 r- '••-:» ' tage of breathing fresh air, and of exercising in exercise, the pollution of the air they breathed, thdr yards> No more danger tQ their heahhi and the cruel proh.b.tion to lie down, (or per- therefore, can be expected, than if they were at hapi even to s.t down) during the day; « that work in the lson d, they were without the benefit of religious in- struction, and that the voice of kindness and The abave remarks are brought forward to compassion seldom or never reached their ears.f correct an erroneous statement, and not to innV Dr. Mease takes particular notice ot the objec- ence tile leSis{at,-'e, one b anch of which has re tionsto solitary confinement, founded upon the so'vcd to punish by confinement and associated danger to the health of the body, and to the 'ahour» common crimes, and by solitude ami mental faculties in those subjected to it, and labour more heinous crimes; a decision which quotes numerous cases from history, of persons will doubtless be acceded to by the other branch1 who were shut up for a long time in European T P. and American prisons, in which from their con- Feb. 21 1829. * Essay by do. p. 81. Journal of the Senate of Pennsylvania, 182r-8, p. 475. ^ f Letter of the Penitentiary Commissioners to the Senate of Pennsj lvania, January, 18:?8'.