490 surgeons' reports — California — northern district. 



the nose or ear miyht not require rejection. Perfect vision is indispensable to the soldier, while the 

 senses of hearing iind smelling, though important, are not so absolutely necessary. 



Diseases of the heart, also, absolutely disqualify, while the liver, spleen, and pancreas may 

 suffer considerable organic aft'ection, and the recruit still be able to perform much exercise and 

 endure great hardshii)s. Derangements of these organs may disqualify by indncing general debil- 

 ity, yet there is not the absokite certainty of disastrous consequences following tiiat there is when 

 the heart is the organ diseased. 



Section 12 of paragraph 85, Revised Eegulations, " Total loss of sight of right eye ; cataract 

 of right eye ; loss of crystalline lens of right eye," disqualifies for military service. Except in time 

 of great public danger and emergency, the total loss of the sight of either eye should, in my opin- 

 ion, disqnalify ; but I can scarcely see Mifficient reason for the distinction now made. Soldiers 

 usually aim with the right eye, but with a little practice, hunters assure me, it makes very little if 

 any difterence whether they use the right eye or left, in sharp shooting. I am of opinion that 

 " nearsightedness," if to any considerable degree, should be a disqualifying circumstance. 



Section 1!). " Stammering." I cannot see why stammering, when the recruit is perfect every 

 other way, should be a cause for rejection. Soldiers are required to see, hear, and act, but very 

 seldom are they required to speak much ; with imperfect siieech, and by gestures, tbej- can yet be 

 understood. 



Section 20. " Total loss of front teeth, the eye-teeth and first molars, even if only of one jaw." 

 I have examined uian^' otherwise sound and capable men laboring under the above disability. The 

 only reason given for the establishment of this rule is that the person would not be able to tear the 

 cartridge with his teeth, and that the loss of teeth ujight interfere with mastication. In the first 

 place, if the lower teeth are perfect, there would be no difficulty in tearing the cartridge with them 

 against the upper gums; and in the second place, if the molars are sound, mastication can be per- 

 formed with sutiBcient rapidity and perfection to answer the requirements of the stomach. Without 

 laying down any positive rule, would it not be better to leave this matter to the judgment of the 

 examining surgeon ? 



Section 33. I would recommend striking out " total loss of any two fingers of the same hand," 

 and allow the surgeon to judge of the incapacity arising from this cause. A great many valuable 

 men would be lost to the service by invariable adherence to this rule ; besides, by their indiscrim- 

 inate exemption, the burden of bearing arms will often fall unreasonably heavy on many less com- 

 petent persons. * # # 



"Of frauds." My experience has been limited in this respect. A few enrolled men appeared 

 for exemption on account of impaired vision, when no disease could be detected, and others com- 

 plained of deafness, who, when not under examination, appeared to hear quite well. A few others 

 asked to be exempted on account of hicmorrhoids, in whose cases no disease could be detected. 

 I have also, in a few instances, found that recruits desiring to enter the service have denied the 

 existence of these, or of other diseases difficult of diagnosis. They will often attempt to deceive in 

 relation to hernia, or old varicose ulcers, insisting that the latter are recent. 



Perhaps of all classes of recruits the greatest difficulty is experienced with persons broken 

 dow.n in constitution fi'om any cause, and particularly with the inebriate. Such a man can scarcely 

 be convinced that he is not as competent to perform military duty as his associates. He will 

 exhibit with a[)parent confidence an emaciated leg and arm, and swear that he can lift four hun- 

 dred pounds, and throw a sledge farther than any man in the State; all of which ten years ago 

 might have been true; but now his clothes hang loosely, and, like his drooping person, are sadly 

 dilapidated. A glass of spirits straightens hiui up for the examination, and his friends, anxious for 

 a riddance, with persuasive eloquence urge his acceptance. Probably the surgeon will be visited 

 by one and another for two or three days before the Candidate is presented, and when a favorable 

 moment occurs, and the recruit is found in his best possible condition, the enlisting officer makes 

 ui) hispa[)ers, and, armed with these, he enteis the examination-room. 



To resist the influences brought to bear upon the surgeon requires some honesty of purpose as 

 well as firmness. I have been importuned by the female friends of such persons, and have always 

 made enemies when their requests have been denied. 



The " best method of avoiding or overcoming these difficulties in future" will be, in my opinion. 



