■Uy2 surgeons' reports OHIO SIXTH UISTItlCT. 



being mnrsb miasmata. The tertian and quartan type ot the disease is the most prevalent during 

 the winter mouths. Occasionally, cases of ague are found on the streams, although it yields 

 very readily to treatment; however, in the early history of this disease — say twenty-five years 

 ago — the inhabitants of the lowlands bordering on tiie large streams were subject to intermittent 

 fever during the fall and winter mouths, aud the disease often proved fatal to the people residing 

 near the Little IVIianii River. The cause, no doubt, was the effluvia arising from the stagnant 

 water, caused by the falling of trees, which obstructed the free flow of the current; of late years, 

 since the lands are nearly all cleared of their timber, few cases occur. 



Typhoid fever is also very prevalent in this district, and is contined to no particular locality; 

 it is not so fatal as it was some twenty years ago. When it llrst made its appearance here, twenty 

 l)er cent, of all those attacked died. Of late years, the disease is mihler, aud is not so fatal. Milk- 

 sickness prevails in several localities iu Fayette and Clermont Counties, though no satisfactory 

 explanation of the cause has ever been given. It evidently results from some plant that is eaten 

 by the milch-cows during the months of June, July, and August. At other times, the milk may be 

 used with impunity. The type of all our fevers is asthenic. The most successful course of treat- 

 ment is tonic and stimulant; mercurials are but little used. Remittent fever is not so frequent or 

 so fatal as it was, say twenty years ago; at tiiat time, mercurials, cathartics, alteratives, vesication, 

 and venesection characterized the treatment of this malady by every regular practitfoner. But 

 calomel, tartar emetic, and the lancet are fast becoming obsolete iu the treatment of our fevers at 

 this time. At the time mentioned, (twenty years ago,) irregular practitioners — botanies et id genus 

 omne — were very unsuccessful from the sthenic character of the disease; their tonic and stimu- 

 lating course aggravating rather than alleviating the symptoms. Diphtheria is now a very ])reva- 

 lent disease iu this district. It first made its a|)pearance in this county, and I might add district, 

 ten years since. It is very fatal iu some localities; all the younger members of some families being 

 alfected with it. Sometimes adults are attacked with tlie disease, and it generally ])roves fatal in 

 such ca.ses. No satisfactory cause can be given for the prevalence and advent of this disease. 

 Temperature and season have no appreciable iutiuence ui^on its course. Phthisis pulmonalis and 

 scrofula prevail to a greater extent here than in the prairies of the West. I have never heard any 

 satisfactory reason assigned for the circumstance. We have all the varieties of scailatina here ; the 

 malignant form prevailing to a greater extent in the vicinity of the large streams of water. It is 

 endemic in these localities, and often occnra sporadically. Remote from the watercourses, it is not 

 so fatal. 



Inhabitants. — The people of the district are principally farmers, and composed of different 

 nationalities, Irish, French, German, English, and Scotch. The natives are generally Virginians 

 or their descendants, are an industrious, frugal, and (before the war) a jieaceable people. No large 

 manufacturing establishments are found in this district. All the cereals are raised in abundance, 

 aud large quantities of wine are manufactured iu the southern part of Brown County, the soil of 

 which is well adapted to the successful cultivation of the grape. 



Causes of exemptions. — So many exemptions occurring under paragraph 85, sections 31 and 32, 

 may be attributed to wounds received in felling the trees of the forest; this country being heavily 

 timbered and comparatively new. The greater ratio per thousand exempted under section 9 may 

 be accounted for from the fact that functional diseases of the liver, heart, kidneys, and pancreas 

 are common here. A general cachectic condition of the system, produced either from unwholesome 

 food or solitary vice, producing muscular tenuity, anaemia, lack of physical power, are all embraced 

 under that section, (No. 9.) 



Paragraph 85. — Taking in^o consideration the difiSculty of meeting all the different phases of 

 disease that would disqualify a man for military service, and tlie liability which too lax a rule would 

 present for abuse, I do not know that I can offer anything amendatory to paragraph 85, combining 

 it with i)aragrai)h 95, Revised Regulations. I would, however, except sections G and 9 of said 

 paragraph. For example, two enrolled men present themselves belbre the board for examination, 

 the one for exemption, tlie other to enter the service or be accepted. Both have a tendeucy to 

 hereditary phthisis, although the disease has not developed itself. Under ])aragraph 85, section 6, 

 you could not exempt the one, and it would be doing injustice to the .service to accept the other. 



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