CAUSES OF REJECTION IN THE NORWEGIAN ARMY 



'The statistics for Norway are for the period 1904-08, on the basis 

 of the examined, but they are unfortunately not available in sufficient 

 detail to make even an approximately useful comparison possible with 

 the corresponding statistics for Sweden. The causes of rejection are 

 given as follows: Diseases of the extremities, 7.1 per cent., diseases 

 of the eyes, 4.4 per cent., diseases of the lungs, 2.6 per cent., diseases 

 of the ears, 2.5 per cent., diseases of the heart, 2.3 per cent., and hernia, 

 2.2 per cent. The statistics for both Norway and Sweden seem to in- 

 dicate a decidedly lesser proportion of rejections for bodily weakness, 

 anemia, scrofula, etc., than met with in the recruiting experience of 

 Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy. 



CAUSES OF REJECTION IN THE BRITISH ARMY 

 How far the foregoing statistics of causes of rejection in recruiting 

 under a system of compulsory military service can be compared with 

 the corresponding statistics of England and of the United States under 

 a condition of voluntary military service previous to the war is, of 

 course, an open question. . The great work by Schwiening reflects such 

 a degree of thoroughness and accuracy that it has seemed best for the 

 present purposes to utilize the returns included by him for England 

 and for the United States in the two following tables, rather than to re- 

 compute the available official statistics, which at best would result in 

 only minor changes, due to differences in classification, etc. For Eng- 

 land the statistics are for the period 1906-10, on the basis of the 

 examined, differentiating, however, those rejected outright on first ex- 

 amination and those rejected within three months after conditional ac- 

 ceptance. The latter figures, for the present purpose, are of minor 

 importance and are therefore omitted. 



PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF REJECTION IN THE BRITISH ARMY 



1906-1910 



Per Cent. 

 Examined 



1. Deficient Chest Measure 5.3 



2. Dental Defects and Deficiencies 5.2 



3. Visual Defects 2.8 



4. Diseases of the Heart : 2.8 



5. Defects of Lower Extremities 1.7 



6. Varicose Veins 1.4 



7. Diseases of Veins 1.2 



8. Below Minimum Stature - 1.2 



9. Below Minimum Weight 1.2 



10. Flatfoot 0.9 



On account of their practical importance four additional principal 

 causes have been included in the preceding table. It is self-evident 

 that the results cannot be strictly compared with corresponding sta- 

 tistics concerning rejections in connection with military service on a 



75 



