SURGEONS REPORTS CALIFORNIA MIDDLE DISTRICT. 497 



an area of about two thousand s^quaie miles, a population of 1 0,302, and had enrolled 4,130 men liable 

 to military service. Mokelumne Hill is the county-seat. The principal towns are Mokelnnme Tlill 

 San Andreas. Murphy's Angels, Vallicita, West Point, CauJix) Seco, Dowlass Flat, Jesus Maria, 

 and (Jopperopolis. This county is exceedingly rich iu gold-bearing quartz veins and in copper. 

 About thirty-live miles east of Stockton a great amount of copper-ore is taken out, which yields 

 aUout thirty percent, of pure metal ; at present, most of this ore is shipped to a foreign market, there 

 being no adequate reduction-worlds liere to stii)arate the metal from the dross-matter. This ore is 

 found as a carbonate and sulphuret of copper, the sulphuret, however, greatly predominating. 



Tuolumne County adjoins Calaveras on the south, is bounded on the west by Stanislaus County, 

 on the south by Mariposa, and on the east by Mono County. The county has an area of about three 

 thousand square miles, a population of 16,21*9, and had enrolled 4,741 men subject to military service 

 The jnnncipal towns are Sonora, Columbia, Springfield, Shaw's Flat, Jamestown, Chinese Camp, 

 Big Oak Flat, Garrote, Don Pedros, and Pine Log. 'This county was exceedingly rich in placer- 

 mines, and was more especially noted for its large number of nuggets. The aggregate length of 

 water-ditches it contains is about three hundred miles. 



Mono and Alpine Counties lie to the eastward of Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Fresno, and 

 Mari])osa Counties, and were taken out of those five counties. These two counties contain extensive 

 silver-mines, and are bounded on the east by the State of Nevada. The altitude of the mining- 

 regions in these counties is about 5,000 feet above the level of the sea, and being east of the great 

 summit-range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and beyond the warm influence of the Pacific 

 Ocean, the winters are very colcl. Owing to the inclemency of the climate and the inaccessibility 

 of this section of country, the mines have not been developed or worked to any great extent, but 

 enough has been done to make it certain that they are both rich and extensive. Mono County bad 

 237 men enrolled subject to military service. Alpine County had not been organized when the 

 enrollment took ]jlace. 



The prevalent diseases of the valley parts of this district are remittent, intermittent, and typhoid 

 fevers during the summer and autumn months ; they are caused by malaria generated from the 

 drying-up of the overflowed and swamp lands. During the winter or rainy season, pneumonia, 

 erysipelas, and typhus prevail to some extent. The exciting or more immediate cause of these 

 lattef formidable diseases is the cold, damp, and chilly condition of the atmosi)here at that season 

 of the year, acting upon systems that have been enervated by other morbific influences. In the 

 mining sections of the district rheumatism, pneumonia, erysipelas, and typhoid fevers prevail to a 

 considerable extent ; exposure to wet and cold, no doubt, is the cause of these diseases, which, by 

 prudence, might be to a great extent, if not altogether, avoided. The mountain sections of country 

 are exempt from any local morbific influences. 



Syphilisprevails to a very great extent, and is producing sad and melancholy results. In a few 

 years more the aborigines of this country will be exterminated by this horrible disease, for when 

 they contract it they are seldom, if ever, cured. According to my experience, this disease has 

 caused more rejection of recruits than any other, by one-half. This cannot, however, be attributed 

 to any climatic influence; it may, no doubt, be attributed to a want of the beneficial restraints of 

 society, and to the very large number of prostitutes that have emigrated to this coast. Pheumatism 

 and syphilis are diseases that will disqualify many for the military service in this country for many 

 years to come. Accidents occurring in the mines and to those working with machinery will also 

 be a prolific cause of disqualification. 



In regard to section 10 of paragraph 85 of the Revised Regulations, Provost-Marshal-General's 

 Bureau, 1 would respectfully suggest that lossof sight of either eye should be a cause for exemption 

 of the drafted man, but not of the volunteer. * * * 



I think a surgeon could examine, critically and well, about /or??/ persons per day. 



During my experience the frauds attempted were only by those suffering from hernia. Every 

 one whom I rejected for that cause had tried to conceal his infirmity. 



The German, I think, presents the greatest aptitude for military service, aid I would place the 

 American next. ^ 



In regard to the colored race I have had but little experience ; but for southern or tropical 

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