502 SURGE0X8' REPORTS PENNSYLVANIA FOURTH DISTRICT. 



aud is in area about eighty t quare miles, with a poi)ulation of one hundred and forty thousand, and 

 number enrolled at this date as liable to military duty, fifteen thousand eight hundred and eight. 



There being no diseases jieculiar to this district, there i.s no special reason why certain disabil- 

 ities have disqualitied a greater ratio from military service. 



The whole district, some ten miles in extent, is intersected by the river Schuylkill, which, with 

 the exception of the first, forms one of the boundaries of each sub-district. 



The surface is hilly or rolling, and traversed by numerous creeks and streams, along which arc 

 many mills and factories, giving employment to the greater portion of the laboring community. 



Tlie diseases prevalent are intermittent, remittent, and typhoid fevers, and, for the last few 

 years, the spotted lever has to some extent prevailed in the vicinity of the river and among the 

 shoddy-lactories. The cause of fevers iH'evailing is no doubt the malaria generated by the large 

 amount of decaying vegetable matter from the truck-farms, meadows, trees, and shrubbery cover- 

 ing the almost entire surface of the country, and by the large amount of stagnant water found iu 

 brick-\ards and mill-ponds, besides the slow-running river which intersects the district. 



The general character of the inhabitants is good. They arc frugal, industrious, and order- 

 loving ; their modes of living cleanly and comfortable, most families occupying separate housee, 

 which they are enabled to do iu the more rural portions of the city by its being built up of medium- 

 sized tenements at cheap rents. 



Their occupations are chiefly those of laborers, factory-operatives, mechanics, and clerks. 

 iMauy of the latter, though employed in the city, live out of town on account of smaller rents aud 

 supeiior home-comforts. 



My views in relerence to the different sections of paragraph 85, Revised Regulations Provost- 

 IMarshal General's Bureau, are that, as a whole, they need no alterations. » « « 



To properly examine ^/f^ men per day, and at the same time attend to the other duties and 

 cases constantly coming before the board, I believe to be about a full average ; though twice that 

 number might be examined if there were no other duties to attend to, and afuU set of rooms con- 

 venient for undressing and dressing were provided. 



The cases iu which it was most difficult to guard against fraud and impositions among drafted 

 men were magnified or feigned organic or severe functional diseases of internal organs, when the 

 a])pearance of the man was not very good, and his case was supported by the sworn certificates of 

 physicitius, many of them iu large practice and good standing in the profession. Among recruits 

 and substitutes, the same diseases, when real, were denied or asserted to be only temporary. An- 

 other difficulty with recruits was found to be this, that if rejected for a disability which they com- 

 plained of, and which existed to the extent of disqualifying them as recruits, they would immediately 

 claim exemption Irom the draft. Especially was it a cause of complaint among those rejected for 

 want of proper height. This was afterward very properly corrected by the order allowing a recruit 

 to be taken at five ieet high. 



The nationality presenting the greatest physical aptitude for military service I believe to be 

 the American. 



The physical qualifications of the colored race for military service are generally good ; the chief 

 disability Ijeing a lack of muscular develoi)ment of the calf of the leg and extreme flat-footedness, 

 a.nd, among those of mixed blood especially, a tendency to scrofula. 



The ouroUmcnt-law, as it now exists, though very satisfactory and effective in its operations, 

 would seem to me to re(]uire one or two alterations or modifications to make it still more effective, 

 and, at the same time, give entire satisfaction to the loyal and worthy citizens on whom the draft 

 most heavily falls. The alterations I would suggest would be to make it a penal offense for any 

 one liable to military duty to neglect to become enrolled after the regular enrollment had been 

 ordeied, the names published, and a reasonable time had been allowed for all to report. Also, in 

 case of moving the place of residence, a citizen should notify the board where he had been liable, 

 as well as where he may become liable; and any man found in a district not enrolled should be 

 liable to summary arrest, the same as a deserter, and be likewise subject to fine and im])risonmeut. 

 Another suggestion, and I think a very important one, would be to divide the district into sub-dis- 

 tricts according to the number of election-precincts instead of ware's, which, by making each small 

 community directly liable to furnish a certain number of men, would make each one personally 



