270 surgeons' reports — new york — twentieth district. 



pelvis, arching foot, full contour, as well as fine symmetry of form, tbe Canadian French excelled 

 any equal number brought before me for examination. They were evidently, however, inferior to 

 the Yankee in the moral qualities necessary to an efScient soldier, such as energy, perseverance, 

 grit, and the faculty of adapting themselves to a variety of change and circumstances. 



As to the physical qualifications of the colored race for military service, my experience with 

 colored men is very limited ; a comparatively small number having been brought before me for 

 examination, and these, in physical qualifications, probably not an average specimen of the race 

 as they exist in the Southern States; for it is a well-known fact that they physically degenerate in 

 this northern dime. They are by nature adapted to endure the climate of the South better than 

 the Anglo-Saxon race, but I should not consider their flat feet as well adapted to rapid marching 

 as the arched foot of the American, or their crooked spine and loosely-knit joints to the carrying 

 of the gun and knapsack. 



The present enrollment-law, as it has been enforced in this State, is replete with serious evils, 

 which would be felt if it were necessary for the Government to call out a large number of men 

 yearly for a term of years. The large bounties given in sub-districts to induce enlistments would 

 soon baukrui)t the country, and lends greatly to enhance the price of substitutes, at the same time 

 opening a field for jieeulation, fraud, and wrong in the production of hounty-jicmpers ; and, in the 

 dealings of bountybrukers, is iujuiious to the service, detrimental to morals, and ruinous to the 

 country. Were the draft enforced at once, as soon as the quota of districts is fixed, alter the Gov- 

 ernment has made a call, allowing the drafted man (if considered suitable for military service) to 

 furnish a substitute; with the payment of no other but United States or national bounty, the 

 drafted man /rt/Hse// receiving this bounty, whether he furnishes a substitute or enters the service 

 himself; with the giving to volunteers the same bounties, (which are at the present time sufiB- 

 ciently liberal,) it would, in my opinion, be far letter both for the military service and the financial 

 interests of the country. Tbe Government would thereby receive better men, and the country be 

 saved from oppressive taxation to pay the large local bounties which have been so recklessly voted. 



GEORGE DOUGLAS, 

 Surgeon Board of Enrollment Nineteenth District of New York. 



Norwich, N. Y., June 15, 1865. 



NEW YORK— TWENTIETH DISTRICT. 

 Extracts from report of Ur. Edward S. Walker. 



• » * My experience in the examination of men for military service commenced on 

 my assuming the duties of surgeon of the board of enrollment for this district. May 1, 1863, since 

 which time I have examined four thousand nine humlred and eighty-two men. 



This district is composed of the counties of Jefferson, Lewis, and Herkimer, and is located in 

 the central and northern parts of the State, and bounded as follows, viz : on the north, by Saint 

 Lawrence County, Saint Lawi-ence River, and Lake Ontario ; on the east, by Saint Lawrence, Ham- 

 ilton, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties; on the south, by Otsego, Oneida, and Oswego Counties; 

 and, on the west, by Oneida and Oswego Counties and h\ Lake Ontario. 



The surface of the district is generally hilly, and it is traversed by the following considerable 

 streams of water: Black River, which jiasses through the central part of the district; Moose Eiver, 

 Beaver River, Peech River, and Indian River, which latter are smaller streams in the northern part 

 of the district, and most of them tributaries of Black River. The Mohawk River, which passes 

 through the southern part of the district, has two considerable tributaries, the East Canada Creek 

 and West Canada Creek. Besides these, there are numerous smaller streams ; and in the northern 

 part of the district, which is still covered with forest, there are nnmerous sm^ill lakes. 



The most prevalent diseases are inflammatory in character. Inflammatory rheumatism and 

 pneumonia are quite prevalent, particularly in the cold and damp seasons of the year. The causes 

 conducive to their prevalence are common to all sections in this degree of latitude, such as sudden 

 changes from a high to a low temperature, and from a dry to a damp state of the air. 



