Enlistment of Seamen and Examination of Recruits. By
Gr. R. B. Horner, M. D., Philadelphia, Surgeon U. S. Navy.
The importance of this subject must be apparent to every
reader, and I shall not enlarge upon it, but go on to speak of
the most interesting parts. By the term seamen we mean all
persons who enlist for the naval or merchant service, whether
boys or men—mere landsmen, or sailors who have become more
or less perfect in their trade. We also include in the term all
persons serving in other capacities, on board ships of war or
merchantmen, whether impelled by sails or by steam—and, we
may now add, by heated air. By the term recruits we mean not
only seamen of any grade, but marines, engineers, warrant and
commissioned officers, &c., of any kind, who are subject to the
inspection of surgeons and physicians, privately or publicly, for
land or sea service, in our navy, army, volunteer and militia
service. To every medical man the duty of inspecting such
persons is liable to happen, and to him is left the decision,
whether they be fit or unfit for service, either before or after
enlistment; and he may be called on to reinspect recruits seeking
discharge, or deemed mentally or corporeally unfit for service by
their commanders. Frequently friends and relations may be
the applicants for their discharge, and claim it on account of
their ill health, when no other good reasons can be urged. It is
very common for recruits to give most favorable accounts of
themselves, to get enlisted, and, after admission into service, to
become despondent, from loss of natural or artificial excitement—
to regret what they have done, for various reasons, and feign
or really deem themselves incompetent to discharge the duties
required of them. The next act is to interest friends to get
them discharged. To effect this many means are adopted, but
none so willingly and conveniently as those intended to impose
on the doctor, or to convince him that either he or some other
medical man had overlooked certain defects at the recruit’s admis-
sion into service. It becomes then necessary for the inspector to
keep all his senses awake, to prevent imposition, professionally,
upon himself, to do justice to those inspected, and above all to
secure for public or private employment men who are competent
in mind and body to discharge their duties. The passing of an
incompetent person may please him and his friends, but injure
the service in which he engages, and cause a fine to be imposed,
much to the damage of reputation and mortification of the in-
spector, as in an instance related to me by a commander of our
navy. An Englishman, shipped for the naval service, feigned
lameness in one of the lower extremities, and to substantiate his
assertions of disability—even before he got to sea—exhibited a
huge scar upon it. A survey of him was ordered—the above and
several other officers were ordered for that purpose—at Norfolk,
and believing the man lame, they pronounced him “ unfit for
service,” and recommended his discharge from it to the Secre-
tary of the Navy. lie accordingly directed it to be done, and
the surgeon, most unjustly, to be mulcted in the sum advanced
as pay, which is generally for three months. The order was
promptly obeyed—the seaman was regularly discharged from
the navy—a boat took him ashore, and no sooner had it touched
the beach than he leaped on land, jumped into the air with joy
and exultation, made a most insulting exclamation and ges-
ture at the boat’s crew, and ran into town as actively as
any man in the ship could have done. One of my earliest recol-
lections is of a like survey of a soldier in a militia regiment
encamped at my native place, and on their way to defend the
State against the invasion of the English, infesting with their
fleet the lower counties of Virginia. This feigned invalid, how-
ever, was not so successful as the above. He had a very saga-
cious, old and experienced country physician, residing in the
adjacent village, to deal with him. He was not to be fooled,
and required ocular demonstration. The soldier, therefore, had
to pull down his trowsers, to exhibit the rupture complained of.
The doctor could find none—swore he was as sound as himself,
and refused a certificate. However, the man got his discharge,
though in a dishonorable way, for he was ordered to leave the
camp, and was disgraced by being marched through the entire
length of the village, with a drummer and fifer playing the
rogue’s or some other degrading march, and a crowd of boys
hooting at his heels. To avoid similar impostures to the one
first mentioned, and to be able to prevent the successful attempt
of any individual making one like the second, or to keep out
of employment persons physically unsuited for it, I will now
mention tlie general rules adopted by myself and others, and
which I recommend after the inspection of more than two thou-
sand persons within the last eight years, without counting many
straggling cases examined by me while not engaged regularly
in the recruiting service, and likewise exclusive of many hun-
dreds inspected anterior to that time, in active service, and while
attached to the U. S. Rendezvous in 1834, ’35 and ’36.
To secure the government against the introduction of physi-
cally unfit persons into the naval service, the rule adopted there
is for the officers of the line to refer them for physical examina-
tion to the surgeon, after they have been found in other respects
suitable. If he pass them, he gives printed certificates of his
having found them fit for the naval service, and on the same
one writes a description of them, viz.: of their “birth-place, age,
color of the eyes and hair, complexion, trade, height, marks of
vaccination, &c., and the number of years they have been at sea
and in service.” When the surgeon has finished these certifi-
cates and signed them, one of the other officers fills up the blank
orders at the foot, for the recruits being taken on board the re-
ceiving vessels. They are then, if sailors, generally given seve-
ral days’ liberty, and retire with their landlords, after these
have taken the certificates and become their security. For this
and money advanced they charge a large per centage. The re-
cruits having had their frolic, if sober enough, are, at the expi-
ration of their liberty, delivered on board, with the clothing and
bedding required, and re-examined by one of the medical officers
attached to the station. To avoid any ill feeling which might
result from a recruit’s being rejected by him, the junior medical
officer, Passed Assis’t Surgeon J. O’C. Barclay, first re-examines,
and if he should find the recruit unfit for service, is required to
return him to the Rendezvous and report the defect found.
Should the surgeon there still deem him fit for service, the re-
cruit has to be referred to myself, who give the casting vote
after a third examination. But such is the strictness of the first
one, that this is rarely necessary; and it is surprising, consider-
ing the excesses into which the recruits engage before their de-
livery on board.
For the marines enlisted on this station there is only one
examination, which is made by myself or assistant, according to
the time of the day when they present themselves. But all the
candidates—as officers of the Engineer Corps—who attended the
late examination here, had first to be inspected by me, and to get
their orders endorsed with a certificate of their having been ex-
amined and passed physically. Of the first I made a general
examination, with as little exposure of the person as possible, as
they all had a gentlemanly appearance; but having understood
from a member of the Board of Engineers that one had been
at a formei’ session rejected for rupture, I was more strict with
the last examined, and in addition to a written declaration of
their soundness, which was read to them for their assent, I omit-
ted nothing thought requisite to detect important defects, though
on examination of the above candidate no rupture could be found;
and he only had an unnatural depression of the sternum, which
was not deemed a sufficient cause for rejection. The form of
declaration referred to was this:
“Navy Yard, Philada., May, 1853.
“ I hereby certify that my health is robust; I am free from
scrofula, consumption and other hereditary diseases; that I am
not suffering from epilepsy, stricture, rupture, or other complaints
and injuries, and feel myself able to perform any physical duties
required of me as an engineer. All my senses are perfect.”
To the physical as well as mental qualifications of engineers,
great importance is attached, as their duties are very arduous.
They have to undergo great exposure to heat about the engines
and fires ; they labor hard—watch long and frequently—have
use for the nicest and most accurate sense, especially of sight
and hearing, in the detection of defective machinery, and are
more constantly in active service, it is thought, than any other
grade of officers. Acting on a knowledge of these facts, I was
under the unpleasant necessity of rejecting three out of thirty-
one for defective eyes: one person had a perfect opacity of the
left one, and two of them were near-sighted. Nevertheless, one
of these procured influence enough to be examined professionally.
If, then, he should get into service, and from inability to see a
flaw in a steam boiler or other machinery, a disaster should
happen, let not the blame rest on his medical inspector.
Of candidates for entrance into the medical corps of the navy,
physical perfection is also required; and besides undergoing a
satisfactory examination to ascertain that, each candidate has to
give a certificate similar to the one quoted. That all persons
interested may be fully aware of the requirements demanded, I
will state that no one is professionally examined before he has
undergone a satisfactory personal inspection, and signed this
certificate of 11 Physical Capacity.”
11 Philadelphia, 1853.-
“I declare on honor, that my health at this time is good anl
robust, and to the best of my knowledge and belief I am free
from constitutional defects, and without any predisposition to
epilepsy, phthisis pulmonalis, gout oi' chronic disease of any kind.
I have neither circocele, stricture of the urethra, hemorrhoids,
nor hernia. Each and all my organs of sense are without imper-
fection.
“ Candidate for the Office of Assistant Surgeon
in the Navy of the United States.”
Had one of the candidates who appeared before the late
Board of Naval Surgeons been aware, previously to his leaving
home, that such a certificate as this was required, he might have
been saved from the fatigue and expense of a very long journey
from the West. That other candidates for the corps may not
suffer similarly, their attention is called to these facts and to the
following “General Order:”
“Navy Department, December 13, 1852.
“It being desirable to obtain the best professional ability which may
offer, for the Medical Corps of the Navy, the Department directs :
1st. That hereafter annual Boards shall assemble, at such place as
may be designated by the Department, about the close of the lecture
seasons of the Colleges, for the selection of candidates for admission into
the Medical Corps of the Navy.
2d. Each Board will select from qualified candidates, such a number
of the best as may be necessary to meet the demands of the service for
the following year.
3d. As vacancies occur in the Medical Corps of the Navy, appoint-
ments will be made from the qualified candidates in the order of succes-
sion in which they may be named by the Board ; but no appointment
will be given to any such candidate who is over 25 years of age.
4th. No qualified candidates will be held over for appointment after
one year, but all such must be re-examined and take position in the
class in which they are last examined-
5th. Every candidate for admission will be examined, strictly and
carefully, as to his physical capacity for the service, and the Board will
make a separate report in each case, which will be forwarded direct to
the Department, to be placed on file with the testimonials of the candi-
date. This examination will precede that as to professional qualifica-
tions, and no candidate who is not physically qualified will be examined
professionally.
6th. In detailing Boards for the examination of Assistant Purgeons
for promotion, as far as practicable, a majority of the members who have
served on the Board next preceding, will be selected, in order that the
relative position of Assistants of the same date, who have been ex-
amined at different times, may be more readily determined.
John P. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.”
It may be likewise useful to state that candidates for the corps
of midshipmen, previously to their admission to the naval school
at Annapolis, must undergo a satisfactory physical inspection
by two surgeons appointed for the purpose.
With regard to that of ordinary recruits, as seamen and marines,
not so much delicacy is observed as with officers. Every man or
boy is entirely stripped of his clothes, a close scrutiny is made of
his whole person, and every question is put which may serve to
detect natural or acquired defects. To enable the inspector to ex-
amine without making omissions, it is best for him to-write down
all leading questions ; if he should not, he may fail occasionally, by
omitting some, to detect serious defects—to make the government
or employers liable to impositions on account of injuries received
anterior to entrance into service—and to admit very useless and
annoying persons, such as those affected with stricture in the ure-
thra, piles,fistula, neuralgia and incontenence of urine while asleep,
which on board a man of war or other crowded vessel is a great
nuisance, from the foetid condition in which the clothes and bed-
ding of the invalid suffering from it are kept. Equal annoyance
may be occasioned by the foetid exhalations given off by the
breath or feet of some individuals—and they ought to be rejected,
though perfectly able to perform the duties required of them—
as they corrupt the air, and prevent others from the performance
of theirs. To put the recruit at ease and compose him,—for a
young one is very apt to become agitated and nervous,—affa-
bility and kindness of manner should be observed; and he should be
questioned on general subjects, by which his sanity of mind may
be learned, and that his general condition of health anterior to
his application for enlistment may be discovered. When he has
become composed he should be made to pace backwards and for-
wards in a spacious room, that the movements of his joints may
be observed ; he should stand first on one foot then on the other,
raise them to a horizontal position alternately, and cast each one
backwards as high as possible. The hands and arms should per-
form like evolutions; the shoulder joints, clavicular junctions,
elbows, wrists and fingers be inspected, to find out anchylosis
and want of proper flexure, from this or luxation. The loss of a
thumb or index finger, deformed feet, toes interfering with walk-
ing, varicose veins, signs of scorbutic and scrofulous affections,
marks of large ulcers, white swelling, carious bones and deficient
muscular development, smallness of size disproportioned to age,
symptoms of anaemia, unnatural palor and sallowness, palpita-
tions of the heart continued after the candidate’s mind is com-
posed, a very frequent, full and strong pulse in the same condition,
I consider causes for rejection. But this, in the above instances
and others, must be in a measure governed by length of service,
mental or professional qualifications, and the specific duties to
be done. A man who could not run aloft, up the shrouds, furl
a sail, or clamber up a ledge of rocks, and leap beyond an ene-
my’s trench, might make himself very useful below in working a
gun or standing guard. The same remarks will apply to the
merchant and militia service.
That no oversights or omissions may happen, I recommend
system to be observed in examiniug the different parts and or-
gans of every recruit, beginning with his head and descending
to his feet; and that the inspector ascertain the healthy or un-
healthy condition of his various tissues. His scalp should be felt,
pressure made upon the cranium to discover fractures, depressed
and deficient bones; the hair ought to be raised to find tinea
capitis and other affections. The senses should be tested, par-
ticularly those of sight and hearing, the mouth and teeth inspect-
ed, the chest sounded, the abdomen, in its whole extent, be felt
and pressed upon, the recruit made to speak, to find out whether
he stammers, stutters, or has unnatural tone of voice; and when
stricture of the urethra is suspected, he ought to be required to
urinate or to undergo the introduction of a bougie.
But this and other disagreeable examinations are objected to
by recruits, deter them from offering for inspection, and should
never be wantonly performed. Even the nudity demanded of
them is offensive to some, and I have known several to refuse to
strip, and decline enlistment before they would submit to it.
In examining the groins and genital organs, special care is to be
observed that a rupture be not concealed by being thrust up just
before examination, and that a chancre or bubo, either forming, or
in the last stage of suppuration, may not be overlooked, or a
gonorrhoea may not escape notice. In shipping boys and lands-
men, who are mostly superabundant, and can be had at all times
plentifully, the latter complaints are good reasons for rejection ;
but in men who are .well drilled, or good sailors, who are always
scarce, they are not so, and it is better that these should be
taken and cured if it can be effected in a short time. By such
indulgence very valuable men may be got or retained in service,
and kindness and humanity practised to those who have an
additional claim on it from their good conduct and great effi-
ciency. But in these cases the inspector must be in a measure
governed very much by the certificate he has to sign—for they
differ greatly in purport—and it was in consequence of the
one used at the Philadelphia rendezvous, when I went on duty
there in October, 1845, being too stringent and preventing me
from exercising due discretion or indulgence, that I urged its
revocation, and had introduced the present one, which simply
states that the recruit—setting forth his name and rank.—has
been examined and found “ fit for the naval service,” instead
of stating that he is free from bodily defects, as is done in
the certificate given each marine enlisted on this station. In
many instances I have had the alternative of signing what was
not true, as regards defects, or of rejecting desirable men; and
to avoid this, I have had several times, with the assent of the
commander of the guard, to insert exceptions by writing the
defects forming them on the printed certificate. In consequence
of such cases, the medical examiner may offend the candidate,
dissatisfy the person who wants his services, delay the forma-
tion of a regiment, or prevent the early equipment of a ship
or squadron. For notwithstanding the change effected by me
in the certificate at the rendezvous, I rejected between 10 and;
11 per cent, of applicants, or nearly 200 out of 1828, examined.
by me ■while last on duty there—that is, including some examined
by others while I was absent and on a Board of Examiners. The
sum total of rejections in 2010 inspected was 209, or more than
10 per cent. Of these cases, eleven wrere rejected for varicose
veins of the legs, the same number for varicocele, twenty-five
for circoceles on the left side without exception to the best of
knowledge, thirteen had myopia, nine ophthalmia, five blindness
of the left eye, ten imperfect forms, fourteen various cutaneous
eruptions, eight diseased heart, nine debility from old age, &c.,
one was ruptured in the right groin, and nine had been in the
left one. For this fact we cannot account, unless by ascribing
it to the great expansion of the left abdominal rings—from the
larger size of the left spermatic veins than that of the right
ones.
Besides the complaints and injuries mentioned as just causes
of rejection, we may enumerate contagious, pulmonic and car-
diac affections generally, acute and chronic rheumatism and
ophthalmia, diseases of the chylopoietic viscera, intestinal,
herpetic and other cutaneous affections, secondary syphilis,
bronchocele, epilepsy, palsy, spinal deformity or disease, inter-
mittent or other fevers, great loss of teeth and caries of them,
and malformations of the body and limbs, debility, great ema-
ciation or exorbitant fatness; in fine, any complaint or injury
which might excuse a man from military duty, or be urged as a
reason for his discharge from it or naval service, as it is very
common for such men to get into it, to become dissatisfied and
procure their return home or discharge because of these defects.
As has been shown above, of the recruits rejected by me, the
largest number were affected with circocele of the left side, vari-
cocele, varicose veins of legs, ophthalmia, myopia, and cutaneous
eruptions. Of all examined, whether passed or not, a catalogue
was kept and memoranda made, especially of those rejected, as
after the lapse of a long time, and when it seemed probable that
they were forgotten, some would make another attempt to get
into service. Notes upon such persons are not only useful to the
one who takes them, but to the officers who succeed or relieve
him. These being unsuspecting and uninformed respecting de-
fective applicants, might allow some to be enlisted who might
prove incumbrances and nuisances, and utterly worthless, as well
from ill health and injury as from bad habits, especially that of
confirmed drunkenness, which may have not only undermined
their constitutions, but rendered them unfit for any kind of
service, by the irregularities it produces, and by the constant
tendency it gives to violations of discipline. Concerning
the utility of memoranda being kept it may be proper to
add, that they afford good statistics of the height, age and
diseases of recruits ; and moreover enable the inspectors to iden-
tify those who have already been enrolled, have failed to enter
service at the expiration of their liberty, or, having done so, have
deserted or been dismissed as invalids, and endeavor to get re-
enlisted for the sake- of another bounty or advance of wages.
Two instances of such attempts at imposition have come under
my own knowledge on this station ; and in both of them my
recollection of the impostors, assisted by my notes, enabled me
positively to recognize them and prevent imposition.