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No. 6.

REPORT OF THE SURGEON GENERAL.

SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,

November 5, 1850.

SIR: I have the honor to lay before you a statement of the fiscal transactions, and a report upon the operations generally of the medical department of the army, for the year ending on the 30th June, 1850.

The amount of the appropriation for the medical and hospital department remaining on the 30th June, 1849, was:

In the hands of disbursing agents
In the treasury of the United States

Add to this the amount appropriated per act
of Congress of 3d March, 1849

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Amount received from medical officers of the
army for medical supplies sold in Mexico
Amount received from auction sales in New
York

Amount received from auction sales in New
Orleans

Amount received (or refunded) from other
officers

Of this sum there has been expended on ac-
count of pay and other claims of private
physicians

On account of medical supplies, &c., &c.
Leaving in the hands of disbursing agents
And in the treasury of the United States

$10,817 37

115,023 23

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Medical supplies of good quality have been regularly provided by the medical purveyors for the troops in the different sections of the country, and have been distributed to the various military posts with as much promptitude as practicable, under the present widely dispersed state of the

army.

The returns of public property, required by the regulations of the army, from the officers of the medical staff and private physicians employed in the service of the United States, have been regularly rendered; and as these papers exhibited in detail every article of supply received, and satisfactorily accounted for the expenditure of the same, their accounts have, with very few exceptions, been finally settled-those from distant sections

of the country to the 31st March, and those from nearer stations up to the 30th of September of the present year.

The number of officers and men remaining sick on the 30th June, 1849, was 694; and the number of cases of disease which have occurred within the twelve succeeding months, is 24,079; making an aggregate of 24,773 cases of indisposition that have been under medical treatment during the year ending the 30th June, 1850.

Of the whole number of sick reported, 23,390 have been restored to duty; 21 are on furlough; 322 have been discharged the service; 39 have deserted, and 294 have died; leaving on the 30th of June last, 649 still on the sick report.

The mean strength of the army for the last twelve months being, according to the reports in the Adjutant General's office, 8,970, and the number of cases of indisposition reported for the same period being 24,079, it will be perceived that the proportion of cases of disease to the number of officers and enlisted men in the service was 2.06 to one, or that, on an average, each man was sick about twice during the year; that the ratio of deaths to the number of men was as one to 30.51, or 3.27 percent.; and the proportion of deaths to the number of cases under treatment was as one to 84.26, or 1.18 per cent.

At the date of my last annual report, a medical board for the examination of applicants for appointment to the medical staff of the army was sitting in the city of Philadelphia.

Before this board twenty-five candidates were authorized to present themselves for examination, of whom twenty-one reported to the board.

Of the number who reported, eight withdrew of their own accord; thirteen underwent the examination; and of these last, seven were approved and recommended for appointment.

All the approved candidates having been duly appointed and commis sioned, another medical board was convened in the city of New York, on the 15th May, 1850.

By this board three assistant surgeons were examined, who having been fully approved, were accordingly recommended for promotion.

Before this board twenty-seven candidates were invited to present themselves for examination, twenty-two of whom reported to the board.

Of those who presented themselves, two were found physically disqualified; one was under the prescribed age; nine withdrew, and ten were examined; and of these last, seven were approved and have been registered on the files of this office as legally qualified for appointment to the medical staff of the army.

In conformity with the will of Congress, the meteorological observations have been continued at all the military posts occupied by troops during the last year; and most of the new stations on our western frontier, in Texas, New Mexico, California, and Oregon, having been supplied with instruments, observations are now taken at those points also.

A complete series of observations on the barometer and thermometer is now being taken at various points over our widely extended country, and the meteorological reports will be accompanied with a notice of the varying clearness of sky, the direction and velocity of clouds and wind, together with remarks on the progress of vegetation, the rise and fall of rivers, unusual tides, &c., &c.

As these military stations are fortunately located in the most important

sections of the country for meteorological purposes, viz: on the shores of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the great lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, and on the intermediate ground, the observations taken cannot fail in due time to afford interesting and valuable results.

The medical staff of the army consists of twenty-two surgeons and seventy-two assistant surgeons; making, with the Surgeon General, ninety-five members in all.

This is seemingly a large corps of officers; still, it is found not to be sufficient in numbers to meet the requirements of the service under the present very dispersed state of the army.

There are, as shown by the reports in the Adjutant General's and in the Surgeon General's offices, one hundred and eight military posts, arsenals and other stations occupied by troops, each of which requires one and some of them two physicians; while there are but twenty-two surgeons and seventy-two assistants, or ninety-four physicians, to serve the troops at these various stations.

It is proper to state, also, that in addition to the number of physicians required at the various stations occupied by troops, private physicians have to be employed occasionally to accompany recruits and other troops from one post to another; while, on the other hand, the availability of the medical staff must frequently be lessened by sickness in its ranks, and at times by the necessary relaxation from duty extended to them, the same as to officers of other corps of the army.

From the foregoing statement it will appear that there are not medical officers sufficient to supply all the posts occupied by troops, much less to meet the requirements of the service both at the military stations and on marches from one point to another.

To enable the medical officers of the army alone to serve all the troops, the number of posts to be occupied must be reduced; and as this proposition is not likely to be entertained, the question arises whether the medical staff of the army shall be increased to the wants of the service, or the present practice be continued of employing private physicians to perform the duties of a military surgeon.

There are at this time twenty-eight private physicians employed at forts, arsenals, &c., &c.; and should the troops be still more dispersed, as is contemplated, additional medical aid will be required.

Having thus stated the facts of the case, shown the inadequacy of the medical staff in numbers to meet all the requirements of the service, my duty in this matter ceases; and it remains for other and higher authorities to determine in what manner the public interest in this particular can be best subserved.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Hon. C. M. CONRAD,

Secretary of War.

Part ii-22 a

TH. LAWSON,
Surgeon General.

No. 7.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Washington, November 30, 1850.

SIR: The following report explains the condition of the fortifications under construction or repair on the seacoast and northern border. It also gives the condition of the Military Academy, and refers to other matters committed to this department.

FORTIFICATIONS, AND MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS CONNECTED

THEREWITH.

There may be advantage in referring to the history of the system of for tifications upon our seacoast. Soon after the organization of the govern ment under the constitution, it became apparent, that though remote from the old continent, our distance might not avert a participation in the wars that the French revolution had spread over the rest of Christendom; and, accordingly, considerable expenditures were made on forts and batteries at the principal seaports. The defences remaining from our revolutionary war (being erections in earth for temporary purposes merely) afforded little or no aid; and as all the principal harbors had to be protected at once, and the means of the treasury were not large, the works then erected were small, and for the greater part temporary, both from the nature of their materials and the mode of construction. This state of things answered while we had no more powerful maritime enemy to contend with than France, especially as she had full employment for all her military means upon her own coasts, or in waging wars on her own continent.

When, however, in consequence of the attack on the Chesapeake frigate, and the injuries inflicted on our commerce by English cruisers, there arose a probability that we might soon be at issue with Great Britain, our government became sensible-considering the inadequacy of the above-mentioned provision of defences-of the necessity of an immediate enlargement of the system. Large appropriations were forthwith made for defence, and were continued from year to year, and great activity was given to the labors of construction, so that when the war actually broke out in 1812 there was not a town upon the seaboard of any magnitude that was not supplied with one or more batteries; a portion of these being, however, works erected under the first system. At that time, the incidents which may be said to be natural to a state of active warfare were too familiar to all, to permit any expectation that, with an enemy enjoying the mastery on the water, a place would find safety in its littleness from the marauding expeditions of smaller cruisers.

The clamor of local apprehension was not to be disregarded by the government; and the consequence was, as above stated, that every town,

small as well as great, whether upon the coast or on the navigable estu. aries and rivers, was supplied with defences. And there can be no doubt that to the mere fact of the existence of defences may be ascribed an exemption from loss of blood and treasure, greater in value a hundred times than the money bestowed on their erection.

These defences, which may be said to have constituted the second system, were, however, so numerous, that, under only moderate appropriations, (then always granted in a gross sum,) they could only be, for the greater part, small; and being built, for the sake of present economy, of cheap materials and workmanship, were perishable as well as weak. So well did the government understand this weakness, however, that they called out to the support of all the most important posts large bodies of troops, at enormous expense, causing these troops to be covered by additional and extensive lines of field-works.

No sooner was the war over than the government, in fresh recollection of the weakness of the system on which they had been obliged to depend, and of the great additional expenditures they had been obliged to incur in large assemblages of troops, and in various temporary devices, determined to enter promptly upon an adequate permanent system.

To this end experienced naval and engineer officers were directed to make close examination of the whole coast, examining all the existing works, and selecting points necessary to be occupied by new fortifications, and such as were proper for navy yards and depots. The board of of ficers which was soon constituted for this purpose, applied themselves several years uninterruptedly to this duty; giving, each year, particular reports of their operations, and presenting plans for such fortifications as were most immediately necessary.

They divided the whole system into classes, according to the relative importance of the proposed works, in the order of time; the works of each. class standing, moreover, in their own class, according to their relative importance in that respect.

This, being what may be called the third system, has now been under construction some thirty years; it has met the support of each succeeding administration, which, in measure as advancement was made therein, has called for the support of Congress for such new works as came next in

turn.

These calls have sometimes encountered delay; but, after careful examination by the military committees, have always been acceded to; and thegeneral result even now, when a good deal required for complete protection is yet untouched, is, that the most important points of the coast are in comparative security; permanent forts and batteries being already provided, and now entirely ready for upwards of four thousand cannon.

The leading objects of this system are to provide permanent fortifications for the most commanding and influential positions on the approaches to the principal cities, towns, or public establishments; preferring such positions as, while they will exclude an enemy's squadrons, will, in case he should resort to a landing, oblige him to make a considerable detour before reaching his object; and preferring, moreover, when they can be found, such positions as shall yield incidentally important protection to other objects.

Fort Delaware, now in progress in Delaware bay, is an illustration. The only defence of Philadelphia at this moment is Fort Mifflin, a small

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