The foregoing comprehend, perhaps, all the pointo the province of the statistician and physician to determine, but it is plain how much will be accomplished for the physical history of mankind when these results shall have been made known with those already referred to in the archives of the Surgeon-General's Office.

The historical and political significance of such a work addresses itself to the reason without the necessity of any explanation. But, in conclusion, it might not be in appropriate to say that, whatever the exigencies of the state may be, there are laws of the natural world which heretofore and in all conceivable conditions have and must supersede the legislation of mankind.

To utilize and control successfully any animal it is indispensable to know the vital and physical necessities of his being; not less so in the government of men.

The physical history of a race illuminates not only the past but the future, and is alike indispensable to those whose profession it is to superintend the phenomena of the body or the mind. No rational expectation can be entertained that the accidents of legislation can be eliminated until the knowledge of those laws which inevitably sway the destinies of the world are known, and no hope exists that the history of races can have other than an empirical value unless the causes which produce their idiosyncracies can be ascertained.

It is not only in these departments that accuracy is to be expected to attend the completion of the physical history of humanity. It is alike applicable to the efforts of hygienic science to preserve the health of the world and to the physician who combats the diseases of individuals. There lies hidden this domain the nature of those occult physiological forces that preside over the growth, maturity, and decay of nations.

ENUMERATION OF TABLES.

I respectfully submit the following statistical tables, illustrative of the mental and physical occurring under the first, second, third,and fourth drafts made under the enrollment act, showing the number of drafted men exempted and ratio per 1,000 of those exempted to the numbers examined by the several boards of enrollment, and comparing these statistics with those of foreign countries.

Tables are also given showing the number of recruits and substitutes examined, the numburgeons of boards of enrollment, and the ratio rejected per 1,000 examined during the months of September, October, November, and December, 1864, and January, February, March, and April, 1865; in addition to which tables giving the average height and chest measurements at expiration and inspiration are annexed.

These statistical tables are 158 in number, and are divided as follows.*

Tables Nos.1,2,3,4,5,6 relate to the medical statistics of the first draft, under call of July, 1863, viz:

Table No. 1, showing, by Congressional districts of distinct diseases and disabilities, alphabetically arranged, for which drafted men were found unfit for military service; also the total number examined, total number exempted,and the ratio exempted per 1,000 examined in each district, under the draft of 1863 (being the first draft under the enrollment act).

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*All tables here omitted; see explanatory foot-note (*), p.679.

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