surgeons' KKPORTS — PENKSYLVANIA — FIllST DISTRICT. 297 



tlie Eleventh llegiiuent of that division, serving with the Army of the Potomac. During the last 

 three months of that service, I was on detached duty as surgeon of the division field-hospital. 

 Since November 4, 18G3, I have been surgeon of the board of enrollment of this district, and only 

 absent while inspecting rejected recruits at Camp Cadwalader, Philadelphia. During my service on 

 this board, I have examined four thousand three hundred and seventy-one recruits and sub- 

 stitutes, and two hundred and ninety-seven drafted men; lu all, forty-six hundred and sixty eight 

 men. * # # 



The geographical situation of the First District is the central pait of the eastern portion of the 

 city of Philadelphia, elevated about twenty-five feet above high-water mark. It is fully supplied 

 with sewers, and well drained. The frontage on the Delaware Kiver is about two miles in length', 

 with an average width extending westward of five-eighths of a mile, including almost all of tlic 

 oldest portion of the city where the foreign commerce and coastwise trade are carried on. The 

 banks, newspaperofQccs, and the largest portion of the wholesale mercantile and manufacturing 

 business is carried on within its limits. 



Its population embraces a large number of sailors, porters, laborers, and tradesmen, pursuing 

 occupations requiring hai d labor and heavy lifting. Hernia, varicose veins of the legs, and maimed 

 hands are very common among this class. 



Planned originally with wide main streets and numerous intersecting small alleys and courts, 

 the former are now chiefly used for warehouses and business purposes, and the narrow, ill-venti- 

 lated alleys are crowded with a laboring population. One section of this city district is inhabited 

 by the most degraded part of its poiiulation ; and vice, intemperance, and abject poverty prevail. 

 This class is made up largely of both blacks and wliites, who often cohabit. A large number of 

 recruits from this place had to be rejected on account of broken down health caused by intem- 

 perance and vice. 



Occupations requiring close confinement to business, with deficiency of pure air, and insufli- 

 cient exercise, render many persons incapable of military duty by producing feeble constitutions, 

 weakness, or tuberculosis. Hernia is also common among these men of weak, relaxed habit. 

 Injuries to the hands and arms occur most frequently among glass-manufacturers and those working 

 among iron machinery. 



I think the sections of paragraph 85 of Eegulations of Provost-Marshal-General's Bureau very 

 complete and satisfactory. With the exception of the subject of weight, they give almost every 

 instruction required for the proper enlistment of men. The most numerous class of doubtful fit- 

 ness for military service who are presented to the board are youths slightly developed, middle-aged 

 men, and men verging on foity-Hve years of age. Their muscular develoi)ment, activity, and 

 strength have been my tests of their capacity and fitness ; always resorting in doubtful cases to 

 weighing. * * # 



To examine twenty five men, keep a careful record of their description and marks, and to com- 

 pare these with the enlistment-papers, is as much as an ofiflcer can do well in one day. 



The greater number of drafted men are perfectly frank and honest in their statements of the 

 condition of their health ; but they will often ask for exemption for diseases and injuries not allowed 

 by the regulations. I cannot remember a single case of attempted fraud. As the regulations for 

 the exemption of men drafted into service are those which would justify the discharge of an 

 enlisted man from military service, there are comparatively few cases where there can be a doubt as 

 to the duty of the surgeon to the Government. Every man should be held to service who cannot 

 show a disability i>ositively unfitting him. A drafted man in fair health, of known home and 

 (connection, will make a better and more reliable soldier than most of the recruits and substitutes 

 who are enlisted into the service, even if the latter are superior in physical condition. 



Every man presented as a recruit or substitute should be thoroughly examined, and no reliance 

 placed on his own statement in reference to his health. This class of men often conceal the exist 

 ence of disease ; youths resort to artifice to appear older, while those who are beyond the age of 

 forty five use artificial means to make themselves appear younger. As a rule, malformations, 

 restrained motion of joints and limbs, manifest disease of heart and internal organs, should be 

 cause for the rejection of recruits and substitutes. In actual service, these infirmities will be 

 appealed to as pretexts for excuse from duty or claims for discharge. Weakness, faintingspells, 

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