course of the examination it is found that the registrant is physically 

 or mentally unfit within the standards of unconditional rejection, then 

 the examination need proceed no further." These qualifications or 

 restrictions obviously preclude the general use of the Selective Draft 

 experience data as evidence of the true physical status or bodily condi- 

 tion of the male population of draft age. The data require, therefore, 

 to be used in all cases .with extreme caution, but especially in their 

 application to the most important problem of available man-power for 

 military service. 



The order of procedure in the physical examination includes nine- 

 teen subdivisions, as follows : 



REQUIRED ORDER OF PROCEDURE IN PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS 

 UNDER THE SELECTIVE DRAFT 



1 The eyes 11 Abdomen 



2 The ears 12 Neck 



3 The mouth, nose, fauces, pharynx, 13 Genito-urinary organs, venereal dis- 



larynx, trachea, esophagus eases 



4 Dental requirements 14 Mental and nervous diseases 



5 Skin 15 Lungs and chest-wall 



6 Head 16 Heart and blood-vessels 



7 Spine 17 General 



8 Scapulae 18 Temporary defects 



9 Extremities 19 Malingering 



10 Height, weight and chest meas- 



urement 



It is quite evident that this order of arrangement for physical exam- 

 ination purposes is not in conformity to a thoroughly developed, sys- 

 tematic method of procedure, particularly with a due regard to the 

 practical importance of the ascertainment of impairments requiring 

 unconditional rejection. Since a complete examination of every regis- 

 trant is not required, it is of the first importance, at least for general 

 purposes, that the more serious pathological impairments shall be ascer- 

 tained first, or previously to minor physical defects, though possibly the 

 latter be of even major military importance. For to the extent that 

 the medical results of the Selective Draft examinations can be utilized, 

 for illustration, for the purpose of determining incipient cases of 

 pulmonary tuberculosis, this object would be defeated by the prompt 

 rejection on primary examination of men found to suffer from some 

 serious visual impairment, deafness, dental defects, etc. It would not 

 seem going too far, therefore, to suggest that the order of procedure 

 in the examination should be so modified as to materially increase the 

 assurance that the more serious pathological or physical conditions, 

 such as tuberculosis, syphilis, hernia, etc., may be first ascertained as 

 unconditional causes of rejection rather than causes or conditions of 

 secondary general importance from the point of view of preventive 

 medicine, public health, etc. 



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