surgeons' reports — CALIFORNIA NORTHERN DISTRICT. 489 



The malady is Iierpetic, without doubt, and also malignant, as every well marked case will attest. 

 It is epidemic in cbaracter, and prevails mostly among cliildren ; adults, however, enjoy no partic- 

 ular immunity. 



Eheumatism is a common disease throughout the State, owing partly to miasmatic causes, and 

 partly to exposure to dampness. The miners who work in shafts and tunnels are constantly ex- 

 posed to the drijjpings from the earth an<l rocks, and are seldom dry during their working-hours; 

 and those employed in river and placer mining are obliged to stand a considerable portion of their 

 time in water. Such persons are particularly liable to the disease. 



Dysentery and diarrhoea are common to the country iu certain seasons, and, as is supposed, have 

 a malarious origin. 



Diseases of the brain are quite iirevaleut, brought on by vicissitudes of fortune more than by 

 any other cause. 



Other diseases prevail, but to no greater extent than in other countries among an adult i)opu- 

 lation. 



Character of the inhdhitanfs, their mode of life, d:c. — The general character of the inhabitants in 

 this State is the same throughout. In this connection I speak only of emigrant population. The 

 native Californiaus were originally from Mexico, and are now much mixed with the ludiau race. 

 This class retain the characteristics of the Mexicans. Before gold was discovered, they depended 

 on herding mostly for a living. Their knowledge of husbandry was extremely crude, and, in fact, 

 but little attention was paid to the cultivation of the soil. They lived in adobe huts, without floors, 

 and for the most part slept on the ground. They are now, however, adopting, to some extent, the 

 habits of our people, and are vastly improving in character. They take naturally to cultivation, 

 and readily adopt the improvements introduced by the Yankees, and some of them stand among 

 our most successful farmers. 



The character of the emigrant-population of California is only a reflex of that of New England. 

 The mode of life is the same, and the occupation differs only from the fact Ihat there is here a 

 large mining population, which delves and works for gold. 



Manufacturing and farming have been carried on to a considerable extent during the last li\e 

 years, and both are becoming more important every year. The habits of the people differ from 

 those of residents of the old States in no particular respect. Perhaps, as a general rule, the peo- 

 ple are not quite as puritanical in their religious and moral notions as they are iu Massachusetts 

 and Connecticut; but everywhere throughout the State may be S( en thriving villages with their 

 churches and school-houses; the latter well filled with bright faces, peculiar to the children of 

 California; and the former, on the sabbath, crowded with devout worshipers. 



The Mongolians, though uumerous, are as much outside barbarians here as though they were 

 still in China or Tartary. 



In reply to the inquiry why certain diseases or disabilities have disqualified a greater ratio per 

 thousand for military service, I would say that some diseases, though mild in character, positively 

 disqualify, owing to the organ attacked. For instance, in disease of the stomach of long standing, 

 the stomach being unable to perform its duty, the system would necessarily fail to receive proper 

 sustenance, and the person thus affected could not endure the hardships of a military campaign. 

 Diseases of the skin might be extensive, if not inveterate, and jet no very important changes 

 ensue. 



Again : hernia, as a general rule, is regarded as a discpialifying defect, although, except on 

 extraordinary occasions, the bowels may retain their normal position. Any untoward accident is 

 liable at any moment to render the subject of it helpless ; while varicocele or cirsocele may be much 

 more apparent, yet the recruit be capable of performing duty to a good degiee. 



Persons affected with chronic gastritis, chronic gastro-enteritis, chronic diseases of the liver or 

 spleen, engorgement or tubercular infiltration of the mesentery, chronic diarrhoea or dyse: tery, 

 seldom if ever so far recover as to be a,ble to endure the hardships and privations of a campaign ; 

 a little exposure, and the old disease returns, or the consequent debility of constitution will mani- 

 fest itself whenever unusual exertion is endured. Acute affections of these organs may be coni- 

 liaratively harmless in their results, and the recruit may soon recover from them. 



Slight affections of the eyes might totally disqualify, while comparatively extensive disease of 

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