RREY PRISON--DAILY ROUTINE OF HOSPITAL LIFE--SET A THIEF TO CATCH
A THIEF--MY LEG GETS WORSE--AMPUTATION--LIFE DESPAIRED OF--PRISON
DOCTORS--WANT OF PERIODICAL HOSPITAL INSPECTION.

The Surrey prison in which I was doomed to spend nearly five years of
my life is a somewhat spacious looking building, situated in a healthy
locality, and fitted up for the accommodation of about 660 prisoners.
It is built in the shape of the letter =E=. The centre abutments are
occupied as a chapel and work-room; the end wings are divided into
cells, with an underground flat fitted up as a school and a Roman
Catholic chapel. The upper story of the main portion of the building is
divided into cells, which are the best specimens of the human cage yet
constructed. The under flat is divided into eighteen rooms of various
dimensions, some containing seven, others eight and twelve, and the
largest twenty-four beds. The middle flat is in constant use as an
hospital, and is divided into four wards, containing accommodation for
150 patients. Very frequently, however, while I was here that number
was exceeded, and other portions of the prison were often appropriated
to hospital use.

As I was for upwards of two years after my arrival an inmate of one of
these hospital wards, I may here give an outline of the routine of our
daily life there.

At half-past five every morning the great bell rang, and the nurses and
convalescent patients started out of bed, washed and dressed, made
their beds, rubbed their metal chamber-service as bright as silver--a
remarkable contrast in that respect to the metal dinner dishes--dusted
and cleaned the ward, which was usually kept remarkably tidy and clean.
About half-past six breakfast was on the table. This meal consisted of
very weak tea and dry bread for the majority, with an egg, or
half-an-ounce of butter for the few who were supposed to be dangerously
ill or dying. In the interval between the breakfast time and nine
o'clock the patients' wounds were dressed by the nurses, and medicines
served out by the officers of the ward; those patients not immediately
under treatment having liberty to read or chat with each other. Before
I left, however, the attempt was being made to prohibit this reading
and talking, and to combine more punishment with the cure of disease.

The two medical officers generally began their rounds of examination
about nine o'clock. As they entered the room "Attention!" was called,
when all