No. 3] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 



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whole. The median of the distribution of the 97 literates who took examination a is 89, whereas 

 the median for the entire regiment is 102. Comparing the frequencies of the two distributions 

 we find the chances to be only 14 in 1,000 that as great a difference could have occurred by 

 sampling. This result tends to confirm the data obtained from Camp Travis. 



It is important, however, to guard against the assumption that data of this kind prove the 

 existence of a causal relation between hookworm disease and mental inferiority. Low native 

 ability may induce such conditions of living as to result in hookworm infection, or poor environ- 

 mental conditions may be responsible for both the disease and the low test record. 



Venereal disease. — Camp Meade reported intelligence ratings (by letter grades from alpha, 

 beta, and individual examinations) of a development battalion composed of 1,231 negro vene- 

 reals. Their grades are here compared with those of 32,916 unselected negroes of several 

 draft increments. The percentage distributions of grades were as follows: 



Compared with unselected white recruits both groups are very inferior, but the venereal 

 group is slightly superior in intelligence to the nonvenereal. The difference, however, is no 

 greater than the differences frequently found between negro draft increments from different 

 sections of the country. Unfortunately the geographical origin of this venereal group is not 

 known. 



Following are figures for 1,562 white venereals composing four companies of another 

 development battalion also reported from Camp Meade. The 167,035 cases with which they 

 are compared include unselected white draft increments from ten different camps and are 

 probably fairly representative of white recruits for the entire country. As before, the ratings 

 include those from alpha, beta, and individual examinations. 



Here we find an evident inferiority of the venereal group, though the difference is not great. 

 It should be emphasized, however, that comparisons of this kind, even if they disclosed large 

 differences between the intelligence scores of venereal and nonvenereal groups, could not be 

 accepted as throwing any light on the possible influence of the venereal condition on mental 

 efficiency. Such a difference might be more reasonably interpreted as an indication that men 

 of inferior intelligence are more likely to expose themselves to venereal infection or less likely to 

 employ suitable prophylactic measures. In view of this possibility the following study from 

 Camp Lee is of interest. 



Camp Lee reported the psychological grades of 317 white venereals. In this case the 

 psychological examination had been given several months before the men were segregated for 

 venereal disease. The grades are, therefore, not those of venereals, but of men who later became 

 venereal. The median weighted score on examination a for these 317 white literates was 117, 

 as compared with 142 for the white literates of the entire camp at the time of the examination. 

 The per cent of venereal cases obtaining a grade of A or B was 4.4, as compared with 10 per cent 

 for the entire camp; and the per cent making D or E was 40, as compared with 26 for the entire 

 camp. From these figures it would appear that men of inferior intelligence were considerably 

 more likely than men of superiox intelligence to contract venereal disease under the conditions 

 of Army life prevalent in that camp at that time. 1 



1 Cf. the discussion of venereal disease among men examined individually, chapter 11, this part, pages 791 ff. 



