Prisoner and cell conditions

Prisoner and cell conditions

The prisoners lived in very harsh conditions, even if they were among the best of that period. A special magistrate was assigned to manage the prison and a doctor with an allocated sickbay was always present to tend to prisoners. A priest also paid frequent visits to offer comfort to the prisoners. Unfortunately, these efforts were not enough. The condition of the prison remained very poor both for prisoners serving their sentence and for those awaiting trial.

The main problem was poor hygiene caused by overcrowded cells, squalid conditions and humidity. This caused the spread of all kinds of diseases, which were aggravated by the presence of insects and mice, a major source of distress for the prisoners. Imprisonment was often a death sentence given the low survival rates of living in such unhealthy environments.

The prisoners slept on a bench and used a dirty bucket for a lavatory; the smell that pervaded the building was terrible. Throughout the year, the cells were periodically washed with vinegar and quick lime. The and a doctor prison doctor was obliged to pay daily visits to the prison and to prescribe drugs. If prisoners could not afford the drugs they were paid for by the state.