power without diverting for temporary purposes the labor that was being applied to the completion of the permanent hospital.

I found a great want of cleanliness among the patients and attendants, which is disappearing under stringent regulations requiring the regular use of bath tubs and the labors of a permanent detail as laundrymen. The good effect of this is most apparent in the smallpox wards, where the impression seemed to prevail that it was injurious to was, which resulted in an accumulation of filth that, in connection with the disease, suspended entirely the functions of the skin, producing congestion in cases that might have progressed without unpleasant symptoms. There was also a difficult in securing properly cooked food for the more severe cases, which has been partially obviated by the organization of an extra diet kitchen.

Upon my arrival here I made inquiries with reference to the vaccinating that had been done, and was informed there had been systematic effort made to exclude every person not marked by variola, and time had not elapsed to show whether anything more was needed. At that time from eighteen to twenty-five new cases were occurring daily. Those have decreased now, numbering from four to six. The type has also become mild, but few new cases being severe. We are well supplied with vaccine virus. It has been used in only a few cases since my arrival. The reason the number of beds vacant and whole number of patients has not been reported heretofore was because they had to be varied and crowded according to the necessities of the case, two patients often occupying one bunk. At one time 485 smallpox patients were crowded into the place occupied by 370 in the last weekly report, which I shall be able to reduce to 320 in my next, and which should, in justice, accommodate but 240.

The 360 beds occupied by patients in the prison hospital should be reduced to 200, and even that would be too large a number in warm weather, closely surrounded as they are by a fence twelve feet high. As far as I can learn, everything has been done by the medical officers, and all their efforts promptly seconded by Colonel A. J. Johnson, commanding the post, to check the spread of smallpox and mitigate the severity of other diseases. A. M. Clark, surgeon, U. S. Volunteers, and acting medical inspector of prisoners, visited the post February 8, and, perceiving the fatal error of the original plan in entirely omitting to make any provision for the sick, authorized the erection of a hospital for 560 beds, which could, in an emergency, be crowded to 700. These were immediately contracted for and half the wards nearly completed when the work on the remainder was suspended by an order from Colonel Hoffman, Commissary-General of Prisoners, evidently from the impression that the amount of sickness was principally due to smallpox and of a temporary character, which is, to a great extent, an error, as among the large list treated in barracks are many cases which should be admitted to hospital, did the accommodations permit, that are now kept until too late, as the not unusual deaths occurring in barracks fully demonstrate. Besides, the present number of sick occurs with the prison filled to but two-thirds its capacity, while we could readily fill the hospital as designed were it completed. A full statement of the case has been forwarded to Colonel Hoffman, and I trust he will authorize the completion of the hospital according to the original plan. My monthly report, which I shall forward promptly, will show you the proportion of deaths occurring in different diseases. Although the