surgeons' reports MINNESOTA — SECOND DISTRICT. 475 



the board, and my duties as surgeon have occupied my wliole time ; consequently I cannot give auj 

 opinion in reference thereto. 



The. causes of disability of drafted men and substitutes comprise the greater part of the list 

 included in paragraph 85, Revised Eegulatious, Provost-Marshal-General's Bureau. If there were 

 a greater number of men exempted for one cause than another, tliat cause is hernia — section 23, 

 paragraph 85 of above-mentioned regulatiotis. I felt obliged under the instructions to exenii)t all 

 recruits and drafted men who had the smallest abdominal or umbilical hernia, notwithstanding, in 

 many instances, the hernia was so small as not to amount, in my o])ini()n, to a disability. In lact, 

 I bad often to inspect the abdomen with the greatest care to discover its existence at all, and in 

 many cases to reject men of the verj' best physical capacity for military service, and sometimes 

 men without families or other local connections to keep them at home, on account of a very small 

 and apparently harndess umbilical or ventral hernia. 1 would, therefore, respectfully recommend 

 that section 23 of i)aragiaph 85 of above-named regulations be so altered as to read "hernia unless 

 it be so small as not to amount to a disability in tbe opinion of the oxainining-surgeon." 



Sections 3, 9, 15, and 19 are liable to many abuses, men being able to bring- any amount of 

 sworn testimony, and, 1 am sorry to say, many times from physicians in apparently good standing, 

 to prove a false case. Still, I do not know that I can suggest an improvement in the last-named 

 sections. Generally, the several sections under paragraph 85 seem to be very complete, and answer 

 very well as a guide to the surgeon in making his examinations. « * # 



I could only examine eaiefully and minutely Irom Jijtij to dxty men per day. If I should exceed 

 that number, I should be more liable to imposition froui recruits or drafted men. 



The American-born citizen i)resents the greatest physical aptitude lor uiilitary service. The 

 Germans have well performed their part in this district during llie war. I have had but little expe- 

 rience in examining colored recruits, not sufficient to form an oiiinion of their general physical qual- 

 ifications for military service. 



EDWIN G. CEOSS, 

 Examining- Bunjeon Board of Enrollment First Congressional District of Minnesota. 



EocHESTEB, Minn., Muij L'O, 18G5. 



MINNESOTA— SECOND DISTRICT. 

 Extracts from rejmrt of Dr. J. H. Stewart. 



• * * I ha\e acted as surgeon of the board of enrollment of this district for the 



past seven months. During that period I have examined : 



Recruits, substitutes, and drafted men 2, 875 



Enrolled men, say 2, 000 



4,875 



Prior to my appointment as surgeon of the board of enrollment, I examined the recruits for 

 several of the Minnesota volunteer regiments, say 3,C00, making the total number examined by me 

 7,875. 



This district covers all that part of the State which is east of the Mississippi River, and that 

 part west of tbe Mississii)pi and north of the Minnesota, (oniiltJMg the tier of counties bordering 

 on this stream.) It also includes Dakota, Goodhue, and Wabasha Counties, stretching along the 

 west of the Mi.sissippi from the mouth of the Minnesota southward. 



The settled portion of the district has an extent of about two humbed miles north and south 

 and about one hundred miles east and west, and embraces thiity organized counties. 



It is watered by the Mississippi, Minnesota, and Saint Croix Rivers, which are all niivigable, and 

 by many smaller streams. It is dotted by lakes and streams of the purest water. The general 

 surface is rolling. Heavy bodies of hard wood and pine Ibrests abound in certain localities. The 

 remaining surface, not cultivated, is covered with oak-openings and small prairies. 



