468 surgeons' reports — Michigan — fifth district. 



who has sufBcicut powers of endurance to carry a gun and a heavy i)ack on hi.s back on a forced 

 march whenever it becomes necessary. When tlie best men (to all appearances) are selected, and 

 go into the service without compulsion, a few weeks or months will suffice to show a sutUcient 

 number dis(iualified for field-duty; but many of them can be made useful to the Government in a 

 different capacity. The drafted man, in view of the fact that he is compelled to do that which he 

 shudders at, and that he imagines that he is looked upon with contempt rather than as an equal 

 by those who enlisted as a matter of choice, is apt to be made dishonest, and instead of i)roving 

 trusty and faithful to the Government, his whole aim will be to make himself totally unfit for the 

 duties assigned him. I am of opinion that drafted men should have the same fitness for military 

 service as volunteers; they also should be paid the same bounties by Government. Then the 

 drafted man would have a status, and he would consider himself on an equality with his fellow- 

 soldier. If he chooses to substitute a person in his place, then let the substitute receive the bounty. 

 As the Government wants the men, and relial)le men too, it seems to me that if procured in that 

 manner they would render more efficient service. At the same time, it \\ouId be the means of 

 bestowing upon many a deserving and destitute family an assistance that otherwise they would be 

 deprived of. 



In the examination of men for the military service I have been governed by the instructions 

 contained in the Revised Regulations for the government of the Bureau of the ProvostMarshal- 

 General, and the instructions contained in a manual for enlisting and discharging soldiers, by 

 Roberts Bartholow, A. M., M. D. ; also the instructions received from Dr. D. C. Van Slyck, examin- 

 ing-surgeon of the board of enrollment, who visited this office in October, 1864, and whose 

 instructions I very much value. 



I have in some particular cases, especially if there were any indications of hernia, tested them 

 more thoroughly than the general instrnctious require. # # # 



As to the number of men that can be examined physically per day, I am of opinion that no 

 surgeon should examine more than o?ie /(««f7/-efZ drafted men,oro?ie hundred and tirenty lecrmti^ 

 or substitutes. I can examine at least one sixth or one-fifth more volunteers than drafted men in 

 a given time, for the reason that the man who volunteers his services is generally disposed to do 

 that which the surgeon requires of him, otherwise he is suspected of having some disability he 

 wishes to conceal. 



The drafted man studies to make himself api)ear as much disqualified as he is able. He is 

 slow to answer questions, which he fears may lead to the disclosing of facts that would make the 

 board suspect him of trying to deceive them. He moves as though he was weighed down with an 

 incubus; his physiognomy is expressive of sadness and despair. In some instances, the whole 

 contour of the man is changed ; he appears a different being from what he was before the draft 

 laid its weight upon him. 



There are many frauds practiced by enrolled men coming before the board. I will give one 

 instance that occurred at this office, which will illustrate others of the same character. A man 

 from a remote part of the district, having a deformed foot, came befoie the board, and was exempted 

 under an assumed name, that of his neighbor, who was an able-bodied man. The fraud was soon 

 detected, and consequently the neighbor was re-instated on the roll. The United States district 

 attorney was consulted in the matter, but it appears that there is no law to punish such frauds. 



In my opinion, a law should be passed which would inflict a heavy penalty on those who are 

 found guilty of perpetrating such base acts. In the case of a stranger claiming exemption, there 

 being no one present to identify him, he should be made to swear that he is the identical i)erson 

 (as the name indicates) that appears on the enrollment-list. Then, should it be otherwise, he could 

 be held responsible for perjury, if for nothing else. 



There was a man who enlisted at this office as a substitute ; he bore a good examination and 

 was accepted, and in a few days was sent to the State lendezvous; he then obtained a furlough 

 and went home to his family, who resided a little more than twenty miles from this place, and 

 returning in due time to the headquarters of the State, he claimed that he was unable to do duty 

 in consequence of ulcers on his legs. He was examined by the surgeon at the rendezvous and 

 reported back to this office, with the statement that he had chionic ulcers of the lower extremities, 

 of many years' standing, and was discharged from the service one year since. This man immedi- 



