Post return of Southern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, for the year ending December 31, 1878. Present. Absent. Present and absent. Question 4. Of the whole number supported or aided during the year 1878 how many belonged to the regular Army; how many to the volunteer service; how many to the Navy -Answer. To the regular Army, 27; to volunteer service, 1,031; to Navy, 12. Question 5. Of the whole number supported and aided during the year 1878, how many were disabled during the war of the rebellion; how many during the war of 1812, or during the Mexican war?-Answer. During the war of the rebellion, 1,028; during the war of 1812, 2; during the Mexican war, 40. Question 6. Of the whole number supported during the year 1878, how many were colored men?-Answer. Number of colored men, 39. Question 7. From what States did they come, or in what States did they enlist?— Answer: How many under 20 years of age?-Answer. None. Question 9. How many married, with wives or minor children still living, as near as can be ascertained?-Answer. 343. Question 10. How many native-born?-Answer. 480. What were their trades or occupation? Give number of each.—An Of the whole number present December 31, 1878, how many could read and write, and how many could do neither? Of the latter, what per cent. were native, and what per cent. foreign-born?-Answer. Number able to read and write, 658; number unable to do either, 40; of the latter the percentage is, native-born, 18; foreign-born, 82. 1 1 31 3 2 3 Question 12. Of the number cared for during the year, how many have lost both arms?-Answer. 1. How many have lost both legs?-Answer. None. How many have lost both leg and arm?-Answer. None. How many one arm?-Answer. 41. How many one leg?-Answer. 37. How many disabled by other wounds received in the service?-Answer. 546. How many disabled by sickness contracted in the service?—Answer. 445. Question 13. How many are blind, totally or partially ?-Answer. Number totally or partially blind, 47. Question 13a. How many totally blind; how many partially blind?-Answer. Number totally blind, 4; number partially blind, 43. Question 14. How many insane, totally or partially? How many of these men were sent to the insane asylum at Washington ?-Answer. Number insane totally and partially, 8; number sent to insane asylum, 5. Question 15. How many have been treated in hospital during the year, and for what diseases?-Answer. Number treated in hospital during the year 1878, 185, for the following diseases: Question 15a. How many treated in quarters and for what?-Answer. Number treated in quarters, 878, for the following diseases: Was the percentage of men treated in hospital and quarters greater or less than last year; if any marked difference, how do you account for the fact?-Answer. The percentage of beneficiaries who received medical treatment during the year is a fraction less than last. In order to explain why the number treated in quarters was greater and the number treated in hospital less during 1878 than the number respectively reported in 1877, it is proper to state that at the beginning of the past year inmates suffering from slight chronic disabilities and not requiring special treatment were assigned to a portion of the hospital, and their medical attendance reported as men treated in quarters. Question 15c. Comparing the number of deaths with the whole number cared for, what has been the percentage of the former; what was it last year, and what the year before ?-Answer. The percentage of deaths for the whole number cared for during 1878 is 2.61, in 1877 it was 3.25, in 1876 it was 5.10, and in 1875 it was 4.16. NATIONAL HOME for DisableD VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS, SOUTHERN BRANCH, SIR: I have the honor to submit my report as surgeon of this branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers for the year 1878. The year has been remarkable for the almost total absence of acute disease. A few cases of simple diarrhea during the summer and autumn, and a few cases of bronchial catarrh during the spring and winter, embrace nearly all of the acute diseases with which we have had to contend. No epidemic has visited us during the year, nor has a single case of fever of any kind, except a few instances of intermittent type of long standing. This remarkable |