Union Army Data - Disease
The Early Indicators project created the following three data sets:
- Military (Regimental Record, CMR, CMSR, and Pension)
- Disease (Surgeons' Certificates)
- Census
The disease data set is collected from the surgeons' certificates found in the veterans' pension (PEN) files. In addition to providing identifying demographic and military service information, each certificate contains:
- statement of the claimant regarding his health and disability
- physiological measures such as
- height
- weight
- pulse rate
- respiration rate
- blood pressure (beginning around 1930)
- findings and descriptions of conditions
- numerical ratings for individual conditions and for disability in general
Examining surgeons were charged with a set of detailed instructions which provided a measure of uniformity to the certificates. Substantial variation in the content of exams exists due to changes in examination procedures over time and idiosyncratic methodologies of examining surgeons. Content of an individual certificate was determined by:
- the law under which the veteran applied
- the conditions the veteran is claiming
- the pertinent instructions to the examining surgeon
- the health of the veteran being examined
A detailed description of the surgeons' examination is available in the user guide to surgeons' exams.
The Union Army and Early Indicators team has prepared videos to give an overview of the various data collection processes and show examples of source documents. To view these videos, please visit our Youtube channel, or click on individual videos below.
| Surgeons' Certificate Collection Part 1 |
| Surgeons' Certificate Collection Part 2 |
To download datasets from the Union Army project, please visit the list of data samples.
