WAR SERVICE OF MEDICAL PROFESSION 285 



well equipped hospital, where facilities were at hand for the 

 most intricate tests and specialized examinations. Under the 

 first selective 1 service act, approximately 10,000,000 men, from 

 21 to 30 years of age, were registered, and of these 2,510,000 

 were examined by the Local Boards. Of this number 730,000 

 or 29.1 per cent, were rejected on physical grounds. 



The report of the Provost Marshal General indicates that 

 about 22 per cent, of the rejections were caused by some 

 mechanical defect in the organism, or rather some defect or 

 disease that would interfere with its mechanical performance, 

 such as defects in the bones and joints, flat foot and hernia. 

 An additional 15 per cent, were rejected because of imperfec- 

 tions of the sense organs, and about 13 per cent, for defects 

 in the cardio-vascular system. About 12 per cent, were re- 

 jected on account of nervous and mental troubles, in part due 

 to abnormal thyroid secretions. About 10 per cent, were re- 

 jected on account of the two communicable disease groups 

 tuberculosis and severe cases of venereal infections. About 

 8*/2 per cent, were rejected because of developmental defects 

 in physique ; about 6 per cent, because of diseases of the skin 

 and teeth, and about 13^ per cent, for miscellaneous defects. 



The significance of these findings for civil life is not im- 

 mediately apparent. The demands of the military life on the 

 physique of a man are much greater than those of civil life, 

 because of the need for ability to make long marches while 

 carrying a heavy load (40 or more pounds) and for reserve 

 strength and vitality to throw into a fight at the end of a long 

 and wearisome march. A man who weighs only 100 pounds, 

 however healthy and however strong he may be for hi,s size, 

 can rarely do this. Yet his small size may even be an ad- 

 vantage in civil life. Again, many a man with a tendency 

 toward flat-foot or hernia may do his work in civil life well, and 

 always have excellent health, and be really unaware of any 

 weakness, but his presence may handicap combatant troops. 

 Defects in sense organs are less important in civil life, because 

 the individual adjusts his life to them and finds ways to pro- 



