Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-09-03
Events OF the War.
An Everyday scene from the Consumption Farce IN
the United States.

The Philadelphia Ledger gives one days at the
Surgeons Office in that city, where the drafted and
substitutes are examined before being passed" We
make extract
Many attempts at fraud are made. Men unfit for
service sell themselves as substitutes fooishy suppos
ing themselves able to conceal their infrmites They
little know the ordeal through which they must pass
They entirely overlook the TACT that surgeon in five
minutes overhaul them matchmaker oVerhauls
q watch. There is abundant attempt of fraud all
around. Drafted men claim disqualification on the
ground of disability, and men who want substitute
money endeavor to conceal their ailments. Both call
into practice the utmost skill of the surgeon making the
examination.
lance is taken into room where he dsrobes himself
The surgeon begins with his teeth, and examines his
whole body down 10 his toes. The examination is
more searching than the examination of applicant
for policy of insurance upon his life by life insu-
companys surgeon If the trent teeth gone,
so that cannot bite of cartridge paper, he
not be accepted for infantry service. lie may do for
trooper. Every limb is examined If the lungs are
unsoand, the temperament apoplectlc or the system
wasting, TIE Government does not want the either
as volunteer, conscr pt or a substitute
The applicant is made to throw himself into various
attitudes. His toes and fingers must be practically
perfect. He is made to pick up grain of corn from
the ground without bending his knees to stand upon
the points of his toes end TO show that he is perfect il
bis anatomy. Il be stands this test he is accepted and
release is given to the who brings him. The cub
y,
custody of guard. He is then United States sol.
der for three years.
At Capt. Lehman's Office yesterday we saw some
humorous incidents. about 40 years of age
came mping into the Office. He wanted exemption.
"What aiIs your leg 2" the first question.
"Wy it's stiff, that air leg is. It's been stiff nigh on
two year"
"What makes it stiff ?"
"Why, reckon it's the rheunats, Doctor. That
leg amt got DO more joint in it than a crowbar.'
"Well, we'll see. Step outside there and We'll lock
| at you"
"Oh, you needn't give yourselves no trouble. l kin
jest roll up my trousers leg right here
1--WE don't do matters that way. We want to see
that leg, perhaps we cure it. We've performed
some remarkable cures lately"
The man didn want to go into the room, but saw
there guard at hand likely to enforce the order. So
he went in He stripped, exposing very dirty hide
to the sunlight The doctor looked at the leg and form
ed bis conclusions. He asked the man mere cues.
tions and received positive that the limb was
immovaby stifened the result Of rheumatism.
you must take ether, my man. l can cure you OF
this Stiffness" said the doctor.
"I reckon you haint got no right to do nothn' of
that kind said the a come here with a stiff
leg. You see baint fit for sojerin', nohow, and
you haint got no right to pizan me neither"
I'VE have the right to prevent sneaks and liars from
evading the duty of every citizen and going
test the truth of what you have been saying
The man grew very ugly, The sponge of ether was
brought and applied, but he pushed it away. Five
men were required at last to hold him down. but the
ether applied, and the at last rendered nsen
sibe. To accomplish this required full bottle of
ether The surgeon was satisfied the man was sham
ming About his leg there was not the least rgidity
1t in all respects perfect When he came to con-
seriousness the told that unti his substitute
was procured he was considered conscript He was
exceedingly surprised that his deception was IN
masked
Another man followed him, who wished to be SUBJ
stitute upon whose limbs big nodules like spavns
upon q horse He was an Irishman. The doctor saw
at glance that he was unsound and dismissed him with
sharp reproof for his stupidity in presenting him
self.
The next was little man who claimed to be rup
tured The removal of his clothing disclosed truss
with pads about big tea saucers large enough to
cover first class rupture upon the Belgian giant
The doctor could find no sign of any rupture, but
rupture sometimes descends recedes, the man was
told to sit down for while. In half hour if ex
isted it would be perceptible. The man sat down, an
Puras naturalibus, upon chair trembling like leaf
But the rupture didn't show itself The surgeon said
that if he could bring respectable medical certificate
of rupture existing, 1t should have due weight. The
man left, saying he would get it. He appeared honest.
Out OF about thirty whom we thus saw examined
yesterday morning. more than dozen were badly rup-
tured, fact which shows that dealers in trusses do
lively business One fellow had voluntarily rel;nquish-
ed his front teeth to escape CONSUMPTION To his
uterabe dlsmay he accepted for cavalry service
He was evidently coward. When he found himself
caught his knees smote together and his face paled to
his name and condition. He was in splendid health
The gums from which the sound teeth had been violent
ly drawn had not yet receded into position Very few
colored men apply for release. When drawn they go
or else bring substitutes, and few of them do this
Lieut. WooD arrived in the city yesterday. He cap
tured the gun boats Reliance and Satellite, and three
schooners The steamers and two of the schooners he
secured but the other schooner drew much water he
could not get her up the river and obliged to burn