Hints on the medical examination of recruits for the army : and on the discharge of soldiers from the service on surgeon's certificate : adapted to the service of the United States / by Thomas Henderson.

  • Henderson, Thomas, 1789-1854.
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hints on the medical examination of recruits for the army : and on the discharge of soldiers from the service on surgeon's certificate : adapted to the service of the United States / by Thomas Henderson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Par. 64. They (Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons) will be par- ticularly attentive in the examination of recruits, and will cause each recruit to be stripped of all his clothes, and to move about and ex- ercise his limbs in their presence, in order to ascertain whether he has the free use of them ; that his chest is ample; that his hearing, vision and speech are perfect; that he has no tumours, ulcerated or extensively cicatrized legs ; rupture, chronic cutaneous affection, or other disorder or infirmity, mental or physical, which may ren- der him unfit for the active duties of a soldier, or be the means of introducing disease into the army ; and they will ascertain, as far as practicable, whether the recruit is an habitual drunkard, or subject to convulsions of any kind, or has received any contusions or wounds of the head, which may produce occasional insanity. With any of these defects the man will be rejected as unfit for service. Par. 65. When a recruit joins a regiment, post, garrison, station, or depot, the surgeon will forthwith ascertain whether he has had the variolous or vaccine infection, and if he has not, will see that he be vaccinated as soon as possible ; and for this purpose he will constantly keep good matter on hand ; making application to the Surgeon General for a fresh supply, as often as may be necessary. IV. The regulations of the army require that men be examined by a medical officer, and have his certificate of sound mind and body before he can be sworn in. There are causes for rejection that can only be detected by a professional eye. The officer in command of the recruiting party ascertains the age, stature, &c, of the recruit, while the surgeon looks at the physical and mental qualifications of the man for the duties of the soldier. V. There is much force in the observation that the complete deve- lopment of the human body requires an exemption from great fatigue, abundanceof healthy nourishment, undisturbed sleep, and tranquillity of mind. As the duties of the soldier are incompatible with these, it may be proper that the surgeon should freely confer with the commanding officer touching the enlistment of youths who do not display the fullest physical development—for that is not likely to improve, either in peace or in war, in the army. In time of war the memorable remonstrance of ihe Emperor Napoleon to the legis- lature of France, should never be forgotten. Shameon you ! I demand a levy of 300,000 men—but I must have grown 'men— boys serve only to fill the hospitals, and encumber the road side. VI. Nor should the surgeon fail to remind the commandino- officer how unfit for service youths are whose stature is materially dis-