SUKCiEOis;^' REPOETS XEW YORK TWEKi V-TJUKI) DISTKICT. 275 



iiciirl.v as I can ascertain I'nini reference to tlie records and my own recollections, 1 liave examined 

 over seven thousand live Imndred men. My records sliow absolutely seven thousand two hundred 

 and uiuetyeight men examinetl ; and I am very contideut that more than two hundreil men liave 

 been rejected for disabilities, of whom I have no record wliatever. 



The twenty-third congressional district is comi)osed of the counties of Onondaga, and Corllaud, 

 and is situated in the geographical centei- of the State of New York ; it has a mean elevation of from 

 'JOO to 1,0(10 feet above tidewater. The southern ])art of the district (Cortland County) is some- 

 what niountainou'-, with narrow valleys. The soil is very jjroductive and fertile, and is devoted to 

 grazing and graiugrowing. It is an exceedingly healthy locality. The north part is rather low 

 and level, and is interspeised with various small lakes, and consequently is more or less subject to 

 intermittent and other fevers, as well as biliary diseases, caused by the miasmata arising from the 

 lowlands in the vicinity. The remaining portion of the district is occupied by farmers, who till the 

 soil, and are abundantly rewarded for their labor, even to a good degree of competence. The 

 general character of the inhabitants is that of a sober, industrious, frugal, and hospitable i)eople. 



There are several large villages in the district, viz : Cortlandville, Homer, JIarathon, and 

 McGrawville in Cortland County ; and ilanlius, Skaueateles, Fayetteville, Jordan, and Ealdwins- 

 ville in Onondaga County ; besides the city of Syracuse in the same county, containing about forty 

 thousand inhabitants. 



In all these localities, there is a large amount of mercantile and mechanical business l)eing 

 carried on. The great mass of the inhabitants are industrious and intelligent, and prosperous in 

 their various avocations. 



In an examination of my records, I Und that hernia has been the cause of more disability than 

 any other disease; and I know of uo immediate cause therefor except that the greater jjortion of 

 the inhabitants are engaged in agricultural and other laborious pursuits, and that heavy lilting 

 is incident thereto. 



In regard to the different sections in paragraph 85, I would say tliat, in the main, I ap])rove 

 them. I would, however, suggest that a little greater latitude be given the surgeon in section "o, 

 namely, as to the existence of ei)ilepsy within the last six months. I would also suggest a little 

 nioditicatiou of section 11. With these exceptions, I would approve the whole paragrai)h. * * 

 In regard to the number of men that can be accurately examined jier day, I would say that, in 

 my judgment, to examine men with accuracy requires time, patience, and careful investigation, 

 am] foify men per day is all that any surgeon should be recpiired to examine. 



The fraud most to be guarded against, of those which are j)racticed by drafted and enrolled 

 men, is their aggravation of all the diseases with which they were ever afflicted. 



The frauds which recruits and substitutes practice most, or those of most frequent occurrence, 

 are in regard to their age. Many boys, apparently not more than fifteen years of age, will come 

 forward and testify that they were eighteen some time previous. The same remark will apply to 

 men over forty-five years of age, many of whom I am satisfied were over fifty years of age; yet 

 they would swear their age to be within the maximum allowed under the regulations. I have 

 uniformly rejected all such men whose physical develoi)ment clearly indicated to my judgment that 

 they were over or under the prescribed age, notwithstanding their affidavits to the contrary ; aiul I 

 hold that the surgeon should exercise his best judgment and the greatest care in preventing frauds 

 of this clwracter. 



Afier an examination of many men from different (punters of the globe, 1 am of the oi)ini()n that 

 the Americans i)reseut the greatest jjhysical a^ititude for military service. 



My experience as to the qualifications of the colored race has been quite limited, having 

 examined but very few of that class ; but, from my small experience, I consider them well ada]»ted 

 for military service. 



In regard to the operations of the enrollment-law, 1 know of no change that I would recom- 

 mend. Its general operation in this district has been good. Some, or a part of some, of the circu- 

 lars by which I and the board have been governed, I think unwise, and ought not to have been 

 issued. I refer more particularly to circular Ko. 101, or that [lortion of it which requires an exami- 

 nation for permanent physical disability for the i)urpose of dropping names from the enrollment- 

 lists in a pending draft ; it oiJerates badly, for the reason that when such jx'isons' names rciiuiiii 



