132 THE PHYSiaUE OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES. 



The per centage of Indifferent was Americans, 13.5 ; Irish, 19.5 ; Germans 19. 

 The per centage of bad — Americans 8 ; Irish, T.5 ; Germans 3 per cent. From 

 this it will be perceived that the Americans show the highest rate of prime phy- 

 sique, the Germans next, and the Irish last. Of " Good," the Irish and Germans 

 are nearly equal, and four per cent, more than the Americans. But this is owing 

 to the excess of the latter in ''Prime." These figures, therefore, confirm the esti-' 

 mates which we have already made which show that a great majority of the army 

 is composed of American-born recruits. Of the Americans, 2,038 were from 

 the country districts directly, and 2,500 were recruited from this city and 

 Brooklyn. 



Of "Indifferent," the Irish are one-half higher than the Germans, which last 

 are 5^ per cent, higher than the Americans. Of the " Bad " the Irish are more 

 than double the Americans and Germans, who in this respect stand alike. So 

 far, therefore, these figures seem favorable to the American-born. But there are 

 several considerations to be taken into account, which will, to a certain extent, 

 modify the references to be drawn from them. In the first place the Americans 

 were largely from classes of society, who from youth Lave been able to command 

 better facilities in food, clothing, and shelter, than the classes from whom the 

 immigrant population is derived. What an influence this must exert on physical 

 development is sadly illustrated by the mortality returns of this city, which show 

 that though the American population is not exceeded by the foreign, yet that 

 seven children of foreign-born parents die in a year to one American child. 

 Besides more than half the Americans were born and reared in country districts, 

 and the difference which this fact causes may be shown by comparing among 

 them the city and country recruits. Thus the proportion of " Prime " among 

 city Americans was 42 per cent ; country 58 per cent ; of " Good," city, 40 per 

 cent ; country, 29 per cent ; of " Indifferent," city, 14 per cent ; country, 12 per 

 cent ; of " Bad," city, 4 per cent ; country, 1 per cent. Another reason why the 

 Irish are double the Americans in bad physique, seemed to be that they were 

 often recruited for several Irish regiments, almost exclusively from the Sixth 

 Ward. One of the most active recruiting stations being the Toombs Prison 

 itself, and such specimens as occasionally presented themselves to our eyes and 

 noses from those regions, eould scarcely be surpassed by Macbeth's witches them- 

 selves. 



Still these considerations do not affect the actual standing of the American 

 recruits, for whatever the causes may be that have aided them, I feel safe in 

 rating their physical development as of the highest order, and I have seen speci- 

 mens of the armies of nearly all European, as well as Eastern nations. With 

 the exception of a general loss of fat, I do not believe that there is another race 

 that can show a larger proportion in the average population, of excellent osse- 

 ous and muscular development. 



We know it to be a frequent observation of tropical physicians, that the Ame- 

 rican sailor shows a greater power in resisting epidemics than his British com- 

 rade. We believe we can add to this our observation of the British soldier in 

 the Crimea, and of the American soldier in the Peninsular campaigns, which 

 have confirmed to our minds the old adage, that fat is not as tough as muscle. . 



