surgeons' reports VERMONT SECOND DISTRICT. 193 



lesseneil if the enrolliug-officers wore directed to describe the disability claimed by each niau, and 

 the surgeon were directed to visit each town on a day named by himself, previous to the draft, then 

 and there to examine those only whose disability had been described by the euroUingotiicer. This 

 would save the Government from paying for the transportation of such cases as drafted men, and 

 the towns a like expense in getting them disenrolled. 



B. F. MORGAN, 

 Surgeon Board of Enrollment First District of Vermont. 

 Rutland, Vt., June 9, 1SG5. 



VERMONT— SECOND DISTRICT, 

 Extracts from report of Dr. C. P. Frost. 



* * * 1 ins]K'cted one-half of the Third Regiment of Vermont Volunteers previ- 



ously to theii' muster into the United States service in July, 1801. Subse(piently I examined men 

 as they were presented from time to time by recruitingoflicers. From October 2, ISOli, till May 

 25, 1803, I was surgeon of tlic Fifteenth Regiment of Vermont Volunteers, a nine-mouths' regiment, 

 and had the usual amount of inspection to perform. Since I entered on my duty as surgeon of this 

 board of enrollment, I have examined 2,700 drafted men, about 3,500 recruits and substitutes, and 

 2,774 enrolled men, making a total of 8,974 men. 



This congressional district lies upon the eastern side of the range of Green Mountains. It ex- 

 tends from north to south about 175 miles, and from east to west about 35 miles. The face of the 

 country is very uneven, being broken into hills and vallej's. There are no very high mountains in 

 the district, and there is no great extent of level land. The intervales along the streams are narrow, 

 and the hills rather steep. The district lies in north latitude 42° to 45°. The diseases are those 

 usually incident to the latitude. We have no miasmatic diseases, with the exception of typhoid 

 fever. Very few persons have enthetic diseases. Of diathetic diseases, rheumatism and feebleness 

 of constitution, the latter generally, however, due to some previous disease of the digestive or cir- 

 culatory or respiratory organs, are the most commonly met with. Tubercular disease is often seen, 

 altliough I think pulmonary i)hthisis is less frequently the cause of death than formerly. Diseases 

 of the nervous system i)revail considerably — more generally, however, among females. Diseases of 

 the resi)iratory organs prevail during the winter ami early spring months. A good many cases of 

 disease of the bones and joints are found. Scarlatina and diphtheria have iirevailed very exten- 

 sively during the last five years, and within the last two years a few cases of cerebro-spinal menin- 

 gitis have occurred in this district. Hernia, and varicose veins of the extremities, particularly the 

 lower, and loss of teeth, as disqualifications for military service, are very frequently found. The 

 causes of disease are, for the most part, atmospheric and accidental. 



The inhabitants are industrious, temperate in eating and drinking, law-abiding and justice- 

 loving ; economical in their expenditures; thoroughly loyal to the General and State Governments; 

 and as well educated and generally intelligent as any people on the face of the earth. They are 

 most thorough believers in universal freedom, and the equality of all before the law. Their dwell- 

 ings are warm for winter, neat and tidy in appearance ; their tables are provided with a plenty of 

 well-cooked and substantial food ; and in general they are comfortably and neatly clad. 



Their occupation is principally farming. In this district the farms are generally small, and the 

 soil productive under good tillage. The occujjation of those drafted in 1803 will probably give a 

 fair view of the occupations of the people. Of 2,045 men, then drafted, 1,900 were farmers or farm- 

 laborers ; 53 were professional men or teachers ; 29 were students ; and 440 were engaged in me- 

 chanical labor. 



From the occupation of the large majority of our people, we should expect to find, as proves 

 to be the case, that hernia and varicose veins of the extremities exist as causes of exemption from 

 military service to a large extent. Fraetures and dislocations are quite frequently met with, 

 thougli not more frequently than in manulacturing districts. lOxamination of 2,774 enrolled nu'u 

 has been made in this district; 1,272 were exempted for manifest permanent physical disability, 

 2.'-. 



