Page 194 - Mediterranea-ricerche storiche, n. 48, aprile 2020flip

194 Roberto Rossi

Table 12. Synopsis of Mexico City Poor House regulations (1777)

Type of rule Brief description of rule
Social Every hosted inmate is subject to the administrator of
Poor House
Social Every inmate must be recorded on a book with his/her
name, sex, age, origin, skills, physical aspect
Social Every inmate must wear the uniform (composed by:
trousers, shirt and coat) with Poor House distinctive
emblem
Social Every inmate according to his/her ability must be
assigned to a job (weaving cotton and wool for men;
spinning wool, cotton or silk and sewing for women)
Social Every inmate must go out only with a special
authorization of the administrator
Social Must attend a service every day in the morning and
evening
Social Regularly married inmates can live together and not
be separated like the others
Social Children (both male and female) must learn to read
and write
Industrial The work of the textile factory is organised by the
master artisan and oversaw by the mayordomo
Industrial The work hour is from 7.30 (6.30 during summer) to
11.30 and from 14.00 to 18.00
Industrial The children must learn the workmanship of wool and
cotton
Source: Agn, Bandos, vol. 10, Exp. 18.

As the Palermo case, the rules of Mexico City Poor House were
mainly focused on the regulation of everyday life of the inmates (table
12). An important part of such control is exercised by the distribution
of time and space; every work task or function was articulated in time
slots while there was a specific place for every action. The use of
uniforms represented a means of distinction (to separate and detach
the inmates from the “others”). The statistic of people is ensured
through the maintenance of a personal filing system based on personal
files reporting physical and personal features .
58

58 Ibidem; Agn, Bandos, vol. 10, Exp. 18.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XVII - Aprile 2020
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)