324 surgeons' kfj'okts — Pennsylvania — twelfth ulstrict. 



to be diseased all over, while tbeir general aiipeaiaiiee denotes good health, aud their hands show 

 that they labor every day. The claim of ei)ilei)sy is frequently resorted to, and in a few instances 

 men have had paroxysms in the examiningroom ; but these cases have never required medical aid 

 to restore them to consciousness. Chronic rheumatism was for a season a favorite claim, but ha.s 

 of late been abandoned as unsafe. One ease that recurs to my mind at this time will serve to 

 illustrate the ))Ower of some men to practice deceit. The man alleged complete ankylosis of the 

 right elbow as the result of frequent attacks of rheumatism. By some accidental means, 1 became 

 satisfied there was something wrong in the case I then resorted to all the strategy my ingenuity 

 could devise to get liitii off his guard, hoping to see him move his arm, but to no jiurpose. Still feel- 

 ing satisfied that there was nothing wrong with the joint, I, with the aid of au assistant, endeavored 

 to bend the elbow by main force, but he had such perfect control over the muscles of his arm that 

 we could not etteet the slightest motion of the joint, aud succeeded only in eliciting the most 

 unciirthly screams indicative of the pain he professed to endure. I then made preparations to 

 administer ether, but after taking one snutt' at tlie ansesthetic, he gave up, aud demonstrated tlie 

 fact thai he was prarticing fraud by a free use of the joint. We have many cases of this class, 

 claiming aflections of joints in difierent jjarts of the body. The presence of an anjx'sthetic gen- 

 erally sufhces to liniber the joint without the application of the remedy. 



. Volunteers and substitutes display as much ingenuity to get into as enrolled aud drafted men 

 do to get out of the service, but they do not have as good a chance to succeed as the latter. It 

 is more difficult to cover up a disease that actually exists than to produce or assume one. Those 

 afflicted with hernia present themselves at times when the affection is not manifest. Those having 

 any other local affections cover them up as much as possible, aud if discovered swear that they 

 are no injury to them. Many times when such men have been rejected once, they present them- 

 selves a second time, or even a third, disguised aud under a different name. 



The records of this office would indicate that Americans present the greatest physical aptitude 

 for the military service, for their [)erceutage of exemption is smaller than that of any other 

 nationality. It is possible that these records are not a true index to the facts as regards this 

 question. There are at this time about four thousand deserters from the draft in this district, and 

 I believe I do not overestimate when I state that fully 75 ])er cent, of them are of foreign birth, 

 the greater portion being Irish. Had all these men rei)orted. it is probable that the most of 

 them would haveTbeen held to service; for if they had considered themselves physically disqualified, 

 they wouUl have reported and had their names stricken from the enrollment. Those of Irish 

 nativity who did report anil were exempted were, in nearly every instance, exempted on account 

 of local affections, occasioued by injuries received about the mines or other public works, and but 

 ver,\ few from any constitutional affections. I am of opinion that the Irish as a race are less 

 afflicted with constitutional atfections than any other uatiouality. If this be true, thej' are the 

 best qualified for physical eiidurance, but, so far as my experience extends, when considered as a 

 class, this is their only redeeming quality. As regards moral qualifications and a mind capable of 

 looking u^ion an^ question properly, (which faculty is indispensable in the formation of a good 

 soldiei.) ihey are almost universally lacking. I am aware that there have been a few glorious 

 exce[)tions to this general rule since the breaking-out of the rebellion, but I am aware also that 

 there has been a good deal of pai)er and ink wasted in portraying deeds to their credit which they 

 never performed. Considering the matter in all its bearings, I am satisfied that we have more to 

 charge to their account than their credit will balance. 



My experience with the colored race is too limited to enable me to give an opinion as to their 

 physical (jualifications to peiform the duties of the soldier. 



Section lli of the enrollment-act, approved March 3, 1S(J3, requires that men drrfted "shall be 

 notified of the same, within ten days thereafter, by a written or printed notice, to be served person- 

 ally, or l)y leaving a copy at the last place of residence," &c. This is impracticable, as will appear 

 by the following statement: Llazleton Township is located about sixty miles from Sci'^nton, the 

 headquarters of this district, and with no direct communication by railroad ; aud consists of four 

 seiiaiate settlenu'Hts, or towns, built by the coal-interests of that section, and had au original enroll- 

 ment of over lilteen hundred names. The inhabitants are [triucipaily Irish, aud, as was the custom 



