Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-09-15
CuriOsities Of the Exemption.

LII SAdbiuluZ Substitutes Hll6L flIlt
scrutiny is exercised. Many attempt,
at fraud are made. Men unfit for seryic,
sell themselves as substitutes. foolishly sup
posing themselves able to conceal their in
firmities. They little know the ordea
through which they must pass. They
entirely overlook the fact that a surgeon
in five minutes, can overhau them as q
matchmaker oyerhauls watch. There is
abundant attempt at fraud all around.
The scenes at the Provost Marshars OF
nee nc 10 Philadelphia are something amusing.
The North american says.
Drafted men claim disqualification on The
gro md Of disability, and men who want
substitute money endeayor to conceal
their ailments. But call into practise the
utmost skill of the surgeon making the ex-
animation
The substitute on presenting himself for
acceptance, is taken into a room aud dis
robes himself. The surgeon begins with
bis teeth, and examines bis whole body
down to bis toes. The examination is
even more searching than the examination
Of an applicant for policy of insurance
upon his life by life insurance company's
surgeon. If the front teeth are gone so
that man cannot bite off a cartridge pa
per, he cannot be accepted for infantry SER
vice. He may do for trooper. Every
limb is examined. If the lungs are un-
sound, the temperament apopletic, or the
system wasting, the government does not
want the man, either as volunteer, con-
script or substitute.
The applicant is made to throw himself
into various attitudes. His toes and fing-
ers must be practically perfect. He is
made to pick up grain of corn from the
ground without bending mis- knees to stand
upon the points of his toes, and to show
that lie is perfect in his anatomy If he
stands this test he is accepted, and re-
lease is given to the man who brings him.
The substitute then receives his money, and
is given into the custody Of guard. He
is then United States soldier for three
years.
A little man claimed to be ruptured.
The removal of his clothing disclosed
truss with pans about as big as tea saucers,
large enough to cover a first class rupture
upon the Belgian Giart. The doctor could
find no signs Of any RUPTURE but as rup-
ture sometimes decends or recedes, the
man was told TO sid down for while. In
half an hour if it existed, it would be
The man sat down in puris
upon chair trembling like
i,o.i. but the repture don't show it itself.
The surgeon said that If he coSld bring
respectable medical certificate of rupture ex-
isting, it should have due weight. The
man left, saying he would get it. He APP
peared honest.
One Of about thirty whom we thus saw
examined yesterday morning more than a
dozen were badly reptured. fact which
shows that dealers in trusses do live BUSH
ness. One fellow had voluntarily relin-
pushed his front teeth to escape conscrip-
ton. To his utter disnay he was accept
ed for the cavalry service. When he found
himself caught. his knees smote together
and his face paled to the whiteness Of the
paper on which the surgeon wrote his name
and condition. He was in splendid health
The gums from which the sound teeth had
been violently drawn had not yet receded
into posltion.-Yery few colored men APP
ply for release When drawn they 90 or
else bring substitutes. and few of them do
this.