surgeons' reports OHIO — FOURTEENTH DISTRICT. 413 



areiiidticid by luiiliiriu ami siukUu climatic clianges. Iiitcrmitteut ami remittent fevers, dysentery, 

 and diarrbcea prevail in summer and autumn. Typbo malarial fevers, (pure typhoid fever being of 

 rare occurrence,) jjueumonia, and rbeumatism have the ascendenc^y in the winter and sjjring 

 montbs. In the ueigbborhoud of large streams and small lakes, we fre(jueutly have dysentery and 

 typbo-malarial fever, endemic and malignant. 



The inhabitants are generally moral, intelligent, industrious, frugal, active, and energetic; 

 good livers, setting a good table, and having plenty to do it with. Occupations — agricultural," 

 mechanical, and mercantile. * # # 



Hernia and permanent ])hysical disability and loss of teeth are the leading causes for exemp- 

 tion. The reason why hernia so abounds in this district is that it is heavily timbered, and to clear 

 up a farm is very heavy and laborious work, and in doing this and other heavy work on the farms 

 the most of those with whom it was not congenital contract the disease. Permanent jihysical dis- 

 ability was induced by frequent attacks of malarious diseases, rendering the nervous system 

 morbidly sensitive and easily exhausted, and producing greater or less organic ditticulties. # # * 



My impression now is that section 20, paragraph 85, should be abolished. It was the only pro- 

 vision in the entire paragraph that gave dissatisfaction to the people. Artificial teeth are now so 

 cheap and perfect that they are within the reach of almost every one. We had umny instances iu 

 this district of men wearing artificial teeth which enabled them to eat all kinds of food with perfect 

 ease. Men of property, active business-men, in robust health, would ai)pear before the board, 

 having removed their false teeth, and demand to have their names stricken from the rolls, after 

 which many of them took no further part in the matter, and refused to give a dollar iu the way of 

 local bounty for the clearing of their townships, but used their influence as much as they could, 

 without making themselves amenable to the law, against the young men's volunteering. Another 

 .reason why I think this section should be abolished is that a majority of the volunteer soldiers never 

 use their teeth to tear their cartridges. 



In examination of enrolled men, the inquiry was first made as to what their disability consisted 

 of. The disability complained of was closely examined for ; if found to the extent required by 

 paragraph 85, they were exempt; if not, no further examination was made, and they continued on 

 the rolls. If the diificulty was in the chest, it was carefully examined by anscultation and percus- 

 sion. In all cases demanding it, the person was examined in an entirely nude condition. Of very 

 many persons complaining of heart and lung disea.ses there was no examination made, except to 

 interrogate as to the extent to which if disabled, the board having decided that the latter clause of 

 section 5, paragraph 85, ("and which prevents bis performing any equally laborious occu[)ation in 

 civil life,") bad reference to an ordinary day's labor, and unless the disease prevented them from 

 performing an ordinary day's labor no further examination was made. In all cases where the 

 examinations were made, and the diagnosis was not clear and distinct, they were required to furnish 

 sworn certificates from their neighbors liable to the draft as to their value as ordinary or common 

 laborers per month, one mouth with another, and unless their neighbors placed them below a three- 

 quarter hand, they were still held to service. 



Of enrolled men, one hundred can be examined per day with ease; of volunteers, sixty; of 

 drafted men, not more than forty. 



The systematic and well-executed frauds attempted in this district were few. I can recollect 

 but two that were skillfully executed. One was an eruption on the nates and anus, induced by 

 crotonoil, which was attempted to be passed off as a permanent ekzematons eruption. The other 

 was in trying to simulate purulent otorrhoea by introducing some foetid oil or grease in the ear. 

 There were many attempts to simulate rheumatism and injuries to legs and joints, but they were 

 easily detected. In a community like ours it would be diBHcult for any one to practice a fraud, as 

 his neighbors were continually inspecting the rolls, and as soon as a man was ofif the question was 

 asked, "What for f 



^'What nationality presents the greatest physical aptitude for the servicef'' — Native Americans. 



Our experience in this distiict as to colored men has been quite limited, not more than thirty 

 having volunteered, but, so far, it is favoiable to the race. 



^'■Yiews as to operations of enrollment-law, cfcc." — My present impressions are that there should bo 

 commutation received, but that it should not be less than five hundred dollars. I also think that 



