398 surgeons' reports — ohio — fourth district. 



My experience in the examination of colored recruits is that, if they have a stomach for fight- 

 ing — a proper nervous constitution — they have an abundance of lung, bone, and muscle. » * * 



W. L. SGHENGK, 

 Surgeon Board of Enrollment Third District of Ohio. 

 Dayton, Ohio, May 20, 1865. 



OHIO— FOURTH DISTRICT. 



Extracts from report of De. I. Fisler. 



As nearly as can be ascertained, the number of men that have been examined in this district 

 is as follows : 



Recruits and substitutes ". . , . 2, 455 



Drafted men 1, 013 



Enrolled men 1, 650 



Total 5,118 



This district lies in the western part of the State, and consists of the counties of Champaign, 

 Darke, Logan, Miami, and Shelby. 



Cliampaign County is situated in the eastern part of the district. The surface is generally 

 level, but in some places it is rolling, and in others quite hilly, while a twentieth pait is wet prairie, 

 well adapted to grazing. The uplands are heavily timbered with white oak, burr-oak, beech, sugar, 

 walnut, poplar, hickory, &c. The soil is very productive, producing wheat, corn, oats, barley, and 

 hay in abundance. Mad River and its tributaries water the county. 



Darke County is situated in the western part of the State. The surface is generally level, 

 with some prairie, and the soil is exceedingly fertile. Heavy timber gi'ows spontaneously, and 

 walnut, sugar, beech, and hickory trees everywhere abound. It is watered by Stillwater and 

 Greenville Creeks. 



Logan County is situated north of Champaign County. The surface is generally level, though 

 broken in some i)laces; the soil varied, but uniformly fertile. It is watered by the Miami River 

 and its tributaries. In the western part are eight lakes, each covering from two to seventy acres. 

 The county is heavily timbered, and much of it unimproved. 



Miami County lies west and southwest of Champaign County, and is watered by the Miami 

 River and its branches. On the east of the Miami the surface is rolling, on the west level ; and 

 in both portions the soil is very fertile. Excellent limestone abounds throughout the county. This 

 is one of the richest agricultural counties in the State. 



Shelby County is situated north of Miami County. The surface is varied ; the southern moiety 

 undulating and somewhat hilly. The northern part is a high, flat table-land, and forms a part of 

 Loraine Summit, nearly four hundred feet above Lake Erie. The soil is fertile, and is adapted to 

 all kiiuls of agricultural productions. 



Prevailing diseases, and causes condticive thereto. — It can hardly be said that we have any pre- 

 vailing diseases in this district. Occasionally, in the fall, a few sporadic cases of the autumnal fever 

 peculiar to the interior valley of the Mississippi occur, but seldom in an epidemic form. Malaria 

 arises from dead and decomposing organic matter. The soil of every habitable part of the district 

 has resting on its surface a layer of dead and decomposing matter of this kind, abundant in pro- 

 portion to its fertility and its favorable exposure to rains and the heat of the sun, or to that condi- 

 tion which cherishes the growth of animals and vegetables. 



Hernia. — The ratio per thousand on account of this disability has been greater than any other 

 in this district. The greater part of the district being a heavily-timbered country, still in process 

 of being cleared and opened up, the inhabitants generally are occujiied in agriculture, and in clearing 

 their lands necessarily do a great deal of heavy lifting at log-rollings, &c., consequently a very great 

 number of the men become subject to rupture in its various forms and degrees. All of these men 

 by the regulations are disqualitied ; but two-thirds of them are still really and truly able to do more 

 hard labor than many who have served their country for the last four years. 



