Year: 1863

The Albany Knickerbocker (rep } which
is now laboriously advocating the Repub-
lican ticket in New York State, thus pic
lures what is going on in the CONSUMPTION
room, where conscripts are examined:


I'VE had occasion to chronicle hereto
fore the humors of the draft; We will now
! take occasion to refer to its more serious
aspects, especially for the benefit of those
who contemplate undergoing the examina-
ton for conscripts. The information NAV
be agreeable to our immediate readers who
will receive their papers to march up to
the Prove, Marshals We must remind
all that upon that occasion no social dis
tinction will be allowed. All must enter
the little ante-ro0m, where so many good,
bad and Indifferent have entered before,
and, there dOfling the artificial habliments
of society, must don the clothing which
nature alone supplies, Otherwise appearing
in puris noturelJas, will await the grim
summons to appear before the Examining
Board upon the opening of the door which
divides the thin partition. You may ex-
pect your turn to come soon, unless there
may be crowd of felIow-victims; in that
case patience may have her perfect work.
But. sooner or later, the summons viii
come to stand forth just outside the door,
with your back Strengthened against one
side of the door, upon which the spectator
will note number of division marks in
feet and inches, to indicate the exact hight
of Uncle Sans prospective recruit. But
while we have been writing the above,
your exact hight and age have been hal
looed out to the Clerk, and the facts arc
already recorded, together with the name
in full, the trade, profession or occupation.


Now comes the Surgeons examination
strictly. A course Of gymnastic exercises
is put in to immediate requisition. You
will show your points by coursing around
the room several timos until the word halt
is given. You raise your arms above your
head, touching together the extreme tips
of the fingers, until the Surgeon is salts
fed there is no hernia; you throw your
arms forward and back to convince him of
free and natural use of the upper extremi-
ties. Standing on one foot, next, each
knee is drawn up to the chin alternately
resting the knees, you are requested to as
sumo the upright position by springing up;
using the end of the toes for fulcrum,
without touching the hands to the floor
Now you take a series of jumps to the full
extent of your ability. until there can be
no doubt of the use of the lower extremi-
ties.


The surgical examination of the chest
or ganscOmeS next, the condition of the
heart and lungs, and then the abdominal
organs, the state of the circulation and the
skin, and finally careful survey of all
marks, blemishes, sears, wounds importa-
tions, faulty limbs, malformations, derange-
ments from previous disease, disordered
circulation, as verbose veins, sprains, frac-
lures and sores.


The state of the teeth must not be over
lookcd-whether fit or not to masticate
Uncle Sans rations, hard or soft


The eye-sight must be clear enough to
sight rebel at good seeing distance.


1t will depend on your most complete
physical perfection and vigor and probable
endurance, even if your proportions may
not be those of an Adonis in beauty, if
you are not fit to enter the infantry serv-
ice, the cavalry or artillery may claim you;
even if you are lacking in some points
Bnt long ere this the Surgeons have con-
cuded as to your fitness or unftness, tho
the knowledge has been officially impaired
(of which you viii be informed in due sea-
son, and you have been politely dismissed
to your cOnferees in the same net to try
the same ordeal. You can once more put |
on the covering and airs of civilized life,
feeling proudly conscious that you have
done your duty, your entire duty to your
country, whether you are accepted or not
to do good battle in her noble service"