{"value"=>"<p>Materials consist of completed physical and social examination forms for U.S. soldiers and a variety of other military and non-military groups; tabulations of the examination forms; various social and physiological studies derived from examination forms; index volumes to examinations; and, notably, a prototype examination form comparing similar work done by Great Britain and the Smithsonian Institute.</p> <p>Frederick Law Olmsted, General Secretary of the USSC, and E.B. Elliott, Actuary, prepared a series of questions to be used for the physical and social examination of soldiers. This examination was intended to serve several scientific purposes, one of which was to determine the average size and proportions of the troops of the United States in comparison with those of foreign countries. Other questions aimed to determine what size and weight of men was best suited for each branch of the military, and whether climate, nativity, and mode of life prior to military service had any effect upon the men engaged in military activities. Examinations were conducted from January 1863 until May 1866, when the focus turned solely to the tabulation of the remaining examinations. Tabulation of examinations continued to the summer of 1868.</p> <p>Although the bulk of the examinations are of white soldiers, the USSC also conducted examinations of colored soldiers and non-soldiers, Indians, sailors, and students. However, these groups are interspersed throughout all of the examinations and may not always be identified. Examinations of Confederate soldiers held as prisoners at David’s Island, New York and Point Lookout, Maryland were also conducted; these are identified as a group.</p> <p>Examiners were sent to various locations throughout the country, with the necessary examination forms, and instruments constructed at the U.S. Coastal Survey office for obtaining physical measurements, to conduct examinations. In the summer of 1864, Benjamin Gould suggested to the Sanitary Commission that efforts in collecting physical examinations be expanded, as those collected up to that point had proved to be rich in statistical value. Following Gould’s recommendation, the USSC authorized the construction of twelve more measuring instruments and the employment of twelve examiners.</p> <p>Examination data was entered on forms, which were revised over the course of the study resulting in three versions of the examination form. The initial examination was entitled \"Form E. Physical Examination\"; this was revised to include sociological data, resulting in a two-part form entitled \"Form E. Individual Inspection I. Physiological\" and \"Form E-2. Individual Inspection II. Social”. This form was then revised to provide more detail in the instructions to facilitate uniform measurement practices by the additional examiners employed during the later stages of this investigation. The revised form was entitled \"Form EE. Individual Inspection.\" The first and last versions of the examination forms collected only physiological data. Forms are generally described in Gould’s Investigations, p. 218-225. Although forms called for the identification of soldiers by name, that information is often omitted.</p> <p>Any terms used by the Statistical Bureau to describe races or groups of individuals have been retained.</p>"}