

results were materially modified. During the entire period 1847-62 the 

 maximum rate of acceptance for military training was 55.6 per cent, in 

 1859, and the minimum 42.3 per cent, in 1856. At the beginning of the 

 period the ratio was 43.8 per cent, and at the end of the period 48.5 

 per cent. The combined ratio of rejections as entirely unfit, however, 

 reached the lowest figure in 1862, or only 10.1 per cent., against 20.7 

 per cent, in 1847. These earlier statistics of the Prussian military 

 service are, of course, of only historical interest at the present time. 

 They are not conclusive as regards the physical changes in the 

 population during the intervening 1 period ,and do not justify 

 any conclusions whatever concerning the possible physical progress 

 or deterioration of the German people. One of the most impor- 

 tant variables in recruiting experience is the modification in the mini- 

 mum standard of height, which in a measure depends upon the needs 

 of the several arms of the service, in that usually a lower height 

 is permissible for the cavalry than for the infantry and artillery. 

 In Bavaria between 1853-65 the rejections on account of failure to 

 conform to the minimum standard varied between 5.1 per cent, in 

 1855 and 1857 and 3.8 per cent, in 1865. It would obviously be mis- 

 leading from these statistics to conclude that there had been 

 a physical decline in the Prussian or Bavarian populations during the 

 period under review, since the changes in military rules and regulations 

 as regards the minimum standard of height in part at least explain the 

 higher rejection ratio during the earlier in comparison with the later 

 years. 



STATURE OF GERMAN CONSCRIPTS 



For more recent periods the German statistics are equally interesting, 

 but far from conclusive. Innumerable changes in the rules and regula- 

 tions appertaining to the examination of recruits and the acceptance or 

 rejection of the same for military service make exact comparison of 

 any one year with another of doubtful intrinsic value. The gen- 

 eral average rate of acceptance in the German conscript recruit- 

 ing experience is given by Claassen as 55.5 per cent. In addition, 

 14.9 per cent, are temporarily rejected but considered subsequently 

 qualified, and 22.9 per cent, are assigned to the reserve as being of a 

 restricted degree of ability for military service. No precise information 

 is available as regards the reasons which govern in the respective 

 assignments to the temporary or permanent reserves, but it is obvious 

 that the former are considered more qualified for active military service 

 than the latter, although both groups, representing a combined percent- 

 age of 37.8 of those subjected to final examination, are below the 

 required standard of current army service represented by the 55.5 per 

 cent, unconditionally accepted. Of the remainder 6.6 per cent, are 

 considered entirely unfit for military service for physical or reasons 



51 



