430 surgeons' reports — Indiana — eleventh district. 



I consider tho native Americati, especially the western backwoodsman, to have tlie greatest 

 aptitude for military service. 



I have had very little experience as to the i)hysical qualitications of the colored race, there 

 being very few colored men in this district. 



The only suggestion I would make in reference to the enrollmeutlaw is, that the provost- 

 marshals should be amply empowered and required to protect drafted men against the imposition 

 and frauds attempted to be practiced upon them by those persons to be found in every community 

 who are ready to excite and to take advantage of their fears. * # * 



STEPHEN MOKRIS, 

 Svrgcon Board of Enrollment Tenth District of Indiana. 



Kendallville, Ind., June 1, 1865. 



INDIANA— ELEVENTH DISTRICT 

 Rvtracts from report of Dr. W. T. Mendenhall. 



• ■ * * In compliance with directions from the Pi-ovostMarshal General, I have 



the honor to submit the following report of my experience as surgeon of the board of enrollment of 

 this district, which, owing to my limited experience, must necessarily be a very imperfect history. 

 Dr. O. Loniax, who was surgeon of the board from its organization until the 1st of April, 1805, for 

 the reason that he has not time at present to devote to it, declines assisting me in the preparation 

 of this report. 



My duties in this ofiBce commenced on the 1st day of March, 1805, as assistant surgeon, and 

 upon the resignation of Dr. Lomax I was appointed surgeon of the board on the 31st of the saiiie 

 mouth.' 



During my connection with the office there have been seven hundred and twenty-nine men 

 examined for military service. Prior to the 1st of September, 1864, there was no record kept of 

 examinations ; consequently I have no means of ascertaining the total number that have been exam- 

 ined. 



The greater portion of this district is dry and rolling, with rich soil in a high state of cultiva- 

 tion, and no particular tendency to any class of diseases, while a few counties, comparatively 

 newly settled, are low and wet, in which localities the diseases are usually of a miasmatic character. 

 A large majority of the inhabitants are farmers by occupation ; and, as regards their characters 

 and modesof life, the examiner's olfactories frequently remind him that a little more attention paid 

 to cleanliness would be conducive to health. 



So far as my experience goes, I know of no disease or disability which has disqualified a greater 

 ratio per thousand than might reasonably b6 expected. 



My experience in the examination of drafted men has been too limited to warrant me in 

 offering any amendments to paragraph 85, although I have experienced some difficulty in a few 

 cases of total unfitness for service in determiniiiing the section under which they should bo 

 exempted. » * * 



With the assistance of two clerks, one to take the measurements and description and the other 

 to record them, I have examined one hundred and fifty recruits a day; but of drafted men one-half 

 of that number is as many, I think, as can be examined with accuracy. 



The fraud most frequently practiced by drafted and enrolled men to escape the service has 

 been that of obtaining certificates of disability from quacks, and frequently even bringing such 

 quacks here to intercede for them. It is needless to say that they were never permitted to be pres- 

 ent at the examinations, and certificates exce[)t from nu'n known to the board as reputable physi- 

 cians had no influence with them whatever. 



The physical aptitude of natives of the United States, Germany, and Ireland, according to my 

 statistics, is about etpial ; there has not been a sufficient number of any other nationality examined 

 upon which to form an estimate. 



