SUEGEOKS KEPOUTS CALIFOKNIA MIIJDI-E DISTRICT. 491 



1st, to always api)oiiit honest aud coiiipetoiit examiiiiug surgeons ; lid, to placo the entire responsi- 

 bility of all examinations on tlie examining surgeon, and also to remove the ai)parent exi ressiou of 

 distrust coutained in section 88. 



Most of the recruits examined here were natives of the United States or of Irelaml. American 

 recruits average in height about 5 feet 7J inches ; girth of tjhest at ex[)iralion, c!li inches. Irish 

 recruits average in height about 5 feet G inches; girth of chest at expiration, about 30 inches. 



The American soldier is more active aud calculating, while the Irish soldier may be lirmer and 

 more enduring. 



I have very little experience as to the " physical qualifications of the colored race for military 

 service," beyond the result of general observation. The colored men in this State are, to all 

 appearance, quite as athletic as our own race. They are generally above ordinary height, well 

 developed, and active. Many of them are barbers, some are house-servants, and others men of all- 

 work, some of whom can read and wiite, aud are sufficiently intelligent to perform any maniud 

 branch of military service. ********* 



LOKENZO UUIiBAlU), 

 Lute iSurgeon Board of Enroll iiicnt Northern Dtxtrict of CuJifornia. 



Marysville, €&!.., 'full/ 29, 1865. 



CALIFORNIA— MIDDLE DISTRICT. 

 Extracta from rcjMrt of Dr. A. B. Nixon. 



* * * I have examined about one thousand persons for military service, but kept no 



record of rejections until the 1st of December, 1864, since which time I have examined 417. Of 

 the latter number, 14 were rejected for syphilis, 7 for hernia, 1 for defective eyes, 9 ibr general 

 physical disability, 1 for loss of teeth, 1 for consumption, 1 for ankylosis of the ankle-joint, 1 for 

 varicose veins of inferior extremities, 1 for deformity of foot, 1 for splay-feet, 1 for chronic ulcers 

 on inferior extremities, aud 1 for skiu disease ; iu the aggregate, 40 rejections, being nearly 10 per 

 cent, of the number examined. 



Before I commenced keeping a record of rejections, a much larger percentage of those exam- 

 ined was found to be unfit for service, aud out of the first three hundred or four hundred who pre- 

 sented themselves for enlistment about 20 per cent, were rejected. 



My district was composed of the following counties, viz : Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, 

 Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Alpine, and jMouo, situated in the cen- 

 tral and eastern part of the State, aud including, perhaps, the greatest variety of climate, mineraks, 

 timber, and soil of any other equal extent of country on the habitable globe. 



Sacramento, Sau Joacpiiii, and Stanislaus Counties are chiefly composed of rich valley lauds, 

 and the two former are extensively cultivated, and produce large quantities of grain, vegetables, 

 and fruit. Stanislaus County is chiefly used for grazing purposes; and, being more remote from 

 market, its agricultural lands, although rich, will not at present pay for cultivation. Sacramento 

 aud Sau Joaquin Counties are penetrated by navigable waters, aud are very favorably situated for 

 profitable farming purposes, aud for trade. On the east they lie immediately contiguous to the 

 mines, which afford a limited market; ou the west they are bounded by navigable tide-waters, by 

 which means they have a good outlet for the easy and cheap trausjjortation of their surplus pro- 

 duce to all parts of our extensive coastwise country, the commerce of which in time will be of im- 

 mense value to our interior agricultural districts. The eastern portion of these counties coutain 

 some placer-miues, but of late years they have been abandoned pretty much to Chinese laborers, 

 who are willing to work for less pay than Americans. These Chiuese miners are very industrious, 

 as a class, and are making money out of the mines. 



The other seven counties of my district are exceedingly mountainous, aud are inhabited chiefly 

 by miners, although of late years cousiderable attention has been given to the cultivation of fiiiit 

 aud general farm-products. Some of the table-lands and small valleys iu the mountains produce 

 good wheat and barley. 



