PART VI.] SECRETARY'S REPORT. [CHAP. II. Between March 1, 1864, and October 1, 1866, there were entered on these Registers 28,866 names, of which some 8,600 were of females, and some 20,266 of males. But these names only represented 20,700 different persons,—a number smaller by more than 8,000 than the apparent number of criminals. In a period of five years this reduction would have been still greater, amounting probably to at least 45 per cent. of the actual number of persons imprisoned, instead of 39 per cent. as in the shorter period given. That is to say, in a period of five years, if the Massachusetts statistics were made up, as they always were until 1864, from the registered number of commitments, they would show a criminal population greater by nearly one-half than is really the fact. Of the 20,700 persons who were in prison in Massachusetts between March, 1864, and October, 1866, about 6,200, or thirty per cent. were females, and about 14,500 were males. Of the females, a little less than thirty per cent., (or nearly nine per cent. of the whole number,) were recommitted during this period of two years and seven months, while of the males not quite twenty per cent., (or about fourteen per cent. of the whole number,) were recommitted. The whole number of recommitted persons was about 4,700, while the number of recommitments was upwards of 8,000, of which rather more than onethird were of females. It seems, therefore, that, in proportion to the whole number of female prisoners, the percentage of recommitments is greater than among men. This is owing partly to the shorter sentences usually awarded to women, and partly to the well-known and proverbial fact that the case of a bad women is more hopeless than a bad man. It was La Bruyère who said it, but he only uttered the common voice of mankind when he said, "Women are extreme in all things; they are always either better or worse than men." The proportion of female criminals to the whole number is now rather less than it has been throughout the whole period since March, 1864, but the proportion of recommitments is, for that very reason, rather larger. Looking now at the nature of the offences for which these 28,500 persons have been committed to prison, we find that by CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. far the larger number are what would, in most countries, either be punished very slightly or not at all. The "crimes against the person," together with the higher "crimes against property" make less than a sixth part of these offences, while the "crimes against order and decency" are more than half, and Drunkenness and Violation of the Liquor Law alone are nearly half of the whole number. The commitments for Drunkenness, (including Common Drunkards,) have this year been less than in 1866; those for violating the Liquor Law about the same. "Crimes against the person" have also decreased in the past year, while certain classes of crime against property have increased. It would seem, therefore, that the number of high crimes and of hardened offenders in Massachusetts is not very large, notwithstanding the formidable number of persons arrested and imprisoned during the year. Many of these are young men and women, and no small number are boys and girls. Those under age are about one-fifth of the whole, while more than half are less than thirty years old. There can be no doubt, then, that a good proportion of our so-called criminal population could be reformed or turned from evil ways, were an earnest effort made by society, aided by a better system of penal laws and prison discipline. Some of them are, in fact, so reformed, but far less than is possible. Intemperance and Crime. Of all the proximate causes or occasions of crime, none is so fruitful as intemperance. The returns show that from 60 to 80 per cent. of our criminals are intemperate, and the proportion of those whose crimes were occasioned by intemperance is probably even greater. In view of this fact, well known to all who are familiar with our prison population, the course of legislation and of public opinion, in regard to the sale and use of intoxicating drink, becomes a matter of the most serious importance, requiring the earnest consideration of men who have the good of society at heart. It should not be left to the fluctuations of party necessities, and, still less, to the self-interest of the class of persons PART VI.] SECRETARY'S REPORT. [CHAP. III. most concerned in maintaining a fearful evil. All the virtue of the good and all the intelligence of the wise is needed to frame our laws on this subject. The decrease in arrests for Drunkenness and of "crimes against the person," slight as it has been, would seem to show that the better enforcement of the prohibitory law has had some effect to diminish crime in the past year. CHAPTER III.-DISEASE. The agency of Disease, whether inherited or acquired, in enfeebling the powers and diminishing the prosperity of individuals and the community is too well known to be more than touched upon here. If any means could be devised for reducing the average sickness of a people one half, the average length of life, and the productive power, wealth and comfort of that people would be increased in due proportion. Hence the importance of a careful study of the sanitary condition of our people, in cities and in the country; and hence much of the value of an accurate Registration of the statistics of mortality, with such inferences deduced from them as they will fairly justify. If such statistics show that the number of births is decreasing in proportion to the deaths, and that the mortality among infants is increasing, then it behooves the community to see if such a lamentable state of things cannot be remedied. If they show that the accumulation of our population in cities and large towns is peculiarly unfavorable to health, then means must be found, if possible, to counteract the unfavorable tendencies. And, generally, it is the business of the statistician, the sanitary reformer, and the wise legislator, combining their forces, to promote the public health in all feasible ways. Among the most noteworthy causes of disease now prevalent, especially among women and children, is the growing disuse of manual labor and muscular exertion among women not dependent upon their labor for a support. And even among those who do support themselves by labor, there is a growing distaste for hand-work, or a choice of the lighter kinds of work which only exercise a few of the muscles. DEAF-MUTES IN MASSACHUSETTS. This same aversion to manual labor appears also, and perhaps quite as manifestly, among young men ; but the ill effects of it are seen more plainly in the case of women; especially since it is often accompanied with a disproportionate exercise of the brain and the nervous force. From this results weakness and disease, particularly when the natural functions peculiar to the sex are called into action; and hence come, in course of time, unhappy marriages, a diminished and enfeebled offspring, and a long train of wretched consequences. No doubt there is some compensation for these evils, but they are evils, none the less, and the community will suffer until some means can be found to avert or remove them. The researches of Dr. Allen, who from the first has been a member of your Board, have thrown much light on this topic, and, I trust, will continue to do so. The Prevalence of Deaf-Dumbness. Without dwelling farther on Disease in general, allow me to say something of that particular form of disease which gives rise to the interesting, unfortunate class of Deaf-mutes, for whose better education your Board has so successfully labored. The discussions of last winter, following the suggestions of the Board and the recommendations of the Governor, have drawn public attention in an unwonted degree to the subject. Taking advantage of this, and induced by a belief that the figures of the Census, in regard to the number of deaf-mutes in the country, could not be accurate, I have made a partial census of them in Massachusetts, with such means as were at my disposal. The chief clerk of this Department, Dr. Henry C. Prentiss, first copied and carefully revised the names of deaf-mutes returned in the State Census of 1865; the original number being but 512, was by him corrected to 548, and afterwards, by the compiler of the returns, to 561, as it now stands. To this list were added such additional names as were found on the list of State pupils at Hartford, on a list of the deaf-mutes of Boston and the vicinity, furnished by Amos Smith, Esq., and on the list of Mr. Fisk, the Visiting Agent of your Board, who made thorough inquiries in a portion of the central and western PART VI.] SECRETARY'S REPORT. [СНАР. III. part of the State. Other names have been furnished by town officers, by physicians and clergymen, parents of deaf-mute children, and others interested in the inquiry. As the list now stands, it contains the names of upwards of 800 deaf-mutes; and, from the result of the inquiries of Mr. Fisk and others in the towns which have been thoroughly examined, there is little doubt that there are in the whole State no less than 950, and perhaps 1,000 of this class, including those under five years old. The United States Census of 1860, as revised, gave only 427, or less than half the number now believed to be residing in the State. The State census of 1865, which gave 134 more,— an apparent increase of 31 per cent. in five years,-sets down only 53 in Boston, where there are more than 100, none in Roxbury, where there are at least 15 and probably 25, none in Grafton, where there are 3, none in Northampton, where there are 2, and so on. The closer investigation begun in this office, shows that the ratio of deaf-mutes to the whole population is as great in Massachusetts as in European countries, being at least one to every 1,400, and perhaps one to every 1,300. In Ireland, to which many of our deaf-mutes trace their parentage, the proportion is still greater. Out of 762 on my list whose ages are given, 98 are of the age of ten and under, 108 are from 10 to 15, and 92 from 15 to 20; in all, 298 under 21, and 206 under 15. Making the needful additions to the list, it is probable that the number of children of the school age would be found not less than 250, of whom only about three-fifths are or have been under special instruction. This is about the proportion of all deafmutes found in the State who have been instructed at Hartford; and no more than this proportion can be instructed there at present. Indeed, it is probable that the present number there from Massachusetts, (108,) is less than three-fifths of those who should be under instruction. It is desirable, therefore, that the city of Boston should open a public school, at the expense of the city, for such deaf-mute children as live within reach of such a school. The number probably would be 30, and the cost of instructing them, under competent female teachers, would not be more than $1,500 a |