surgeons' RKFORTS PENNSYLVANIA SEVENlll DISTRICT. "611 



to two years, without any inconvenience, altliongb tbey were destitute of natural teeth. I would 

 suggest the i»ro[)riety of euiploying a sufljcieut number of competent, practical dentists, to accom- 

 pany the Army. 



Sfctioii 23 says, " Tlernia, either inguinal or femoral, is cause for exemption." A large majority 

 of such cases perhaps are, but 1 think there are many excejitions; inguinal or femoral hernia, if 

 retainable by a truss, does not, as a general rule, interfere with the duties of a soldier iu the infantry 

 arm of the service, as I have known many who did all the duties of a private iu the ranks without 

 (•()m])laiut. 



Jn regard to section 20, which says, " Varicocele is not in itself disqualifying," my experience 

 induces me to believe there should be some exceptions. I have met with many cases of this char- 

 acter, which were not complicated with organic disease of the testicle, in which from the great 

 weight the afliicted person in order to be tolerably comfortable was compelled to wear a supporter; 

 this soon becomes soiled, aud requires frequent changes, which would be very incouveuient for a 

 soldier. * * * 



Under our arrangements, w hich are very imperfect, we can examine physically, with accuracy, 

 eighty men iu eight hours. 



The frauds attempted to be practiced by drafted and enrolled men are feigning diseases of 

 different kinds and degrees. Pain in various parts of the body, particularly rheumatism, is frequently 

 alleged. Stiff joints, with permanent flexions of the limbs, are sometimes attemjjted to be simulated. 

 Men may also maguify auy disability that they maybe laboring under; and it is rare indeed 

 that a drafted man will admit that he is fit to be a soldier. There is, however, little difficulty in 

 guarding against the deceptions attempted : strict attention to the regulations, experience, aud 

 determination to do justice to the Government and to the soldier will remove all difficulty. 



The frauds attemi)ted by substitutes and recruits consist in the attempt to conceal infirmities, 

 such as stiff joints, hernia, ilefective sight, old age, and artificial teeth. The frauds thus attenii)ted, 

 as well as the other difficulties which we have to encounter, are easily guarded against. Let the 

 recruitiug-officer and examiuiiig-surgeon keep in view the difference between the conscription and 

 \oluntary enlistment, and recollect that in the conscription, or involuntary system, the object of the 

 man is to escape from service by the exhibition of infirmities that may or may not exist and to 

 magnify those that are present, while in thi^ voluntary system the design of the recruit is to conceal 

 disqualifying defects. Stri(;t attention to the above, together with a reasonable amount of expe- 

 rience, will overcome all difficulties, and generally ])ieveut our being duped by the tricks of unpiin- 

 cipled recruits. I can devise no other effective remedy. 



From what I can gather from my experience iu the examination of recruits, it is ray opinion 

 that what is now known as the North American race presents the greatest physical aptitude for 

 military service. 



More care and circumspection is required in the examination of the colored race for military 

 service than is reipiired in the case of the white race. In this country, the mixture with the white 

 contributes greatly to lower their health and stamina, and we find comparatively few of mixed 

 breeds free from scrofula. By selecting the pure African, aud rejecting all whose admixture with 

 white blood has lowered the standard of health and i)hysic.al efficiency, the colored recruits will 

 comjjare favorably with a like number of the white race. 



The enrollment-law, as it now exists, works admirably. Nothing is wanting but to carry out 

 its i)rovisions, and all that is contemplated and desired will be accomplished, so far as the enroll- 

 ment alone is con(;erued. The manner of conducting a dratt might, perhaps, be so improved as to 

 obviate difficulties which experience lias disclosed ; one of which is that the drawing is required to 

 be i)ublic. Another bad feature is that the drafted man is notified to appear on a given day, which 

 gives him time aud opportunity to abscond, which many have done. 1 would, therefore, recommend 

 that the drawing be conducted ])rivately, and that the first intimation the man should receive of 

 his having been drawn should be a summons to accompany an officer to district headquarters, to 

 enter at once upon duty, or to furnish an acceptable substitute. 



2V/C imporUtnce of a national nystvm of re<jistralion. — Registration appears to have originated 

 with the ancient Jews, who religiously kept their public registers until their destruction as a nation 

 b.\ tlie Komaus. The Ivomans adojited it some two thousand years ago, and it still existed iu 



