242 surgeons' reports — new york — fifth district. 



aud, until some provision is made to assign such to some special duty fitted for them, I hold this 

 should be a cause for exemption. 



Section 2'3 exempts persons afflicted with hernia of any kind. I think slijrht and recent forms 

 of indirect inguinal hernia should be held an exception. lu such cases, the gut is easily held in its 

 place by a proper truss, which is obtainable at a slight expense, and worn with little, or compara- 

 tively little, iuconvenience. In fact, a very large portion of our most hardy laboring population 

 have hernia in some form, and yet pursue their various avocations for a livelihood with little or no 

 complaint. 



Section 25 forbids exemption on account of external haemorrhoids. I cannot understand why 

 so broad a distinction should be made between them and internal hemorrhoids. As a general rule, 

 this disease should not exempt, yet there are many cases that would warrant exemption. 



Section 28 holds to service persons afflicted with incontinence of urine. I can hardly imagine 

 a more miserable state of existence, and think that a permanent form of the complaint should be 

 held as a cause for exemption from any kind of military duty. * * # 



The number of men that can be physically examined per day with accuracy is, as far as I can 

 learn, a disputed point among surgeons; and I am somewhat surprised that their difference of 

 opinions should be so extreme. Some exultingly declare that thej' have examined as many as two 

 hundred per day, while others assert that thirty ax forty are as many as they can examine accurately 

 between the hours designated for duty. I apprehend that these discrepancies arise from the amount 

 of assistance some surgeons have had. I have accepted as many as thirty recruits per day, exam- 

 ining, perhaps, sixty or seventy persons, taking their description and measurements, besides keep- 

 ing the records thereof and signing the enlistment-papers, all without any as.sistauce whatever. It 

 is true, I had an assistant for a period of six weeks during the first draft, and ostensibly so for one 

 month during the last draft. He, however, was of no assistance to me from the fact that another 

 ofSce was established in the district, to which he was detailed. I was overworked, and my 

 impression is that surgeons should not be expected to examine over Jiffy persons per day, in addi- 

 tion to keeping all the records, unless provided with competent assistants. 



The frauds to be guarded against are so numerous and diversified that I confess myself unable 

 to bring to mind more than a few of the most common subjects of attempt, viz, defective sight aud 

 hearing, disease of chest, general debility, and hernia. These are the disorders feigned by enrolled 

 and drafted men. I am of opinion that a careful surgeon, not overtaxed with duty, has no excuse 

 for being imposed on hy such artifices. The frauds most likely to deceive are those practiced 

 by substitutes aud recruits. The most prominent among these are concealing insufficient age, 

 rheumatism, syphilis, hernia, ei>ilepsy, and prolapsus ani. IMany at sixteen years of age have 

 physical and mental development equal to that of others at twenty. Some forms of rheumatism and 

 syphilis are not easily detected. I have known insj;ances where warm and vapor baths have been 

 resorted to by men immediately prior to ofi'ering themselves. I feel satisfied, however, that a careful 

 examination will seldom fail to discover defects. Hernia is often treated with ice and otlier astrin- 

 gents, with results calculated to deceive. Epilepsy is a disease well calculated to escape discovery. 

 Ordinary cases of prolapsus ani may be skillfully treated so as to deceive the surgeon. The only 

 evidence of this disease is protrusion of the gut ; and this, in many cases, may be prevented for a 

 time by the use of powerful astringents. I know of no way of wholly guarding against frauds. I 

 suggest it might be jnade a crime for physicians or others thus to j)repare persons for the purpose 

 of deceiving the Government. -Furthermore, I suggest that, after examination, the man might be 

 required to make affidavit, before entering the service, regarding his knowledge of any defects in 

 his health, attaching penalties to false swearing in such cases. 



In this district, the.Irish excel in physical aptitude for military duty. 



As far as my experience goes, I consider the physical qualifior.lions of the colored race for mili- 

 tarj- service to be good. 



The operation of the enrollment-act, as it now exists, is decidedly bad in both city and country.' 



When a draft is ordered, I think a strict passport-system should be inaugurated. The experi- 

 ence of the past has proved that disloyal and cowardly men, though young and able-bodied, left 



' The writer refers to the nniiiber of mmi who escaped its application. 



