316 surgeons' reports — Pennsylvania — eleventh district. 



to examine inore than forty or Jifty men per day. With the aid of assistants, we Lave examined 

 over eighty, but that number is too great, unless the work is divided, and the surgeon and his 

 assistant examiue separately. My rule was to myself examine every man brought before the 

 board of enrollment. After the assistant had made a general examination, I took the case and veri- 

 fied or corrected the opinion. This Icousidered my duty, as I had to be responsible for any improper 

 enlistment. 



Enrolled and drafted men are apt to exaggerate any ailments to which they may be subject. In 

 the first draft, rheumatism was relied upon to procure exemptiou, but that was not found to answer 

 with the board of enrollment, and, as one drafted man said to another, who was asked what he 

 claimed exemption on, "Rheumatism isn't worth a damn." The most general claim for exemption 

 was that of general weakness and liability of taking cold on exposure. Tliere are many cases of 

 this kind which require very careful and skillful examination to ascertain if they are tit for military 

 duty, or whether, if taken into the service, they would not be soon sent to the hospital, and thus 

 become a burden to the Government. The best method of uieeting all sncli difBculties is a searching 

 examination by a skillful surgeon, and in keeping in mind always the directions given in para- 

 graph 91. 



In my o]Mnion, the nationality that presents the greatest physical aptitude for military service 

 is the English and Scotch, taking them as one nationality, but separately I prefer the Scotch. 



The negro, as far as I have observed, is stronger, more muscular, and better able to endure the 

 fatigue and exposure of camp-life than the white man. I was much surprised at the fine muscular 

 development of the colored race. Comparatively few of this race came under my notice, and they 

 were mostly of unmixed blood. 



I venture to say that the negroes put into the Army from this district will march better, 

 endure more fatigue and exposure, and recuperate faster than white men sent from the same 

 localities. 



I have nothing to suggest with regard to the operation of the enrollment-law. If the provisions 

 of this law are carried out properly and faithfully, I think it will answer its intention, and nothing 

 more is required. 



JAMES S. CARPENTER, M. D., 

 Surgeon Board of Enrollment Tenth District of Pennsylvania, 



POTTSVILLE, Pa., June 1, 1SC5. 



PENNSYLVANIA— ELEVENTH DISTRICT. 

 Extracts from report of Dr. C. H. Humphrey. 



* • * I am unable to give an accurate account of the number of men examined 



during my oflBcial career, owing to the fact that during the first year of my service as surgeon of 

 the board, all of us being then but novices in the business, the records of the examination of men, 

 though kept according to then existing orders, were not as complete as experience in the work has 

 since taught us to make them. As near as I can approximate, aided by the records of the last 

 year, which I take as a basis for my calculations on former drafts, «&c., I make the number about 

 ten thousand. This includes volunteers, drafted and enrolled men, and substitutes. 



This district is composed of the counties of Northampton, Monroe, Carbon, Pike, and Wayne. 

 It is situated in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, extending from the shores of New Jersey 

 on the east to the State of New York on the north, a distance of over one hundred miles by the 

 most direct route of public travel. 



The face of the country is extremely mountainous and wild in appearance, with the exception 

 of Northampton County. The latter is a fertile and wealthy district, being the southeastern 

 extreme, and bordering on the Delaware River. The soil is fruitful and in a. fine state of cultiva- 

 tion. The occupations of its inhabitants are chiefly in agriculture, manufactures, and iron-mining. 



The couuties of Monroe, Pike, and Wayne lie among an almost endless chain of mountains in 

 the northern part of the district. The soil is extremely poor, being thickly covered with low, stunted 

 oak or heavy iieudock-timber, and only here and there, like some green oasis iu the dreary desert, 



