strength and physical endurance depend primarily for their successful 

 solution upon a correct ascertainment of physical standards, with a 

 due regard to race, locality, occupation, etc. A mere heterogeneous 

 mass of measurements and general-average conclusions based upon 

 mere data cannot successfully meet the exacting requirements of the 

 present time ; nor can the methods in use heretofore in connection with 

 the examination of recruits be utilized to advantage any more than the 

 methods employed for examination purposes by life insurance com- 

 panies. New standards are required and these must be derived from 

 accurate measurements of the registrants, if not in the aggregate, at 

 least in selected groups, with a due regard to race and the regional 

 divisions of the country, and, if possible, the previous occupation of 

 the registrant. There is therefore an obvious urgency for a national 

 anthropometric survey, in conformity to the preliminary recommenda- 

 tions of the Royal Anthropological Society of Great Britain, of the plan 

 of which a copy is reprinted in Appendix B. 



NEW STANDARDS OF PHYSICAL EXAMINATION 



New standards of physical examination governing the entrance to 

 all branches of the Army of the United States for the use of Medical 

 Officers of the Regular Army, National Army, National Guard, Medi- 

 cal Reserve Corps, Recruiting Officers of the United States Army and 

 Local Boards and Medical Advisory Boards under the Selective Service 

 Regulations were promulgated by the Secretary of War under date of 

 June 5, 1918. These rules and regulations are in a large measure based 

 upon actual experience and qualified consideration on the part of those 

 directly responsible for the best possible results. Of course, some of 

 the rules are subject to further modifications, but, in the main, the new 

 regulations will go far to facilitate the fundamental purpose of the 

 Selective Draft, i. e., "To procure men who are physically fit, or who 

 can be made so, for the rigors of field service or for special and limited 

 service," but the final determination of these questions is left to the 

 judgment and discretion of the examining boards appointed under the 

 authority of the Selective Service Law and to the military examining 

 surgeons of mobilization camps and other army posts and stations. 



The most important qualification, as elsewhere pointed out, which 

 has practically remained unchanged, is that "Local Boards need not 

 make a complete physical examination of every registrant. Upon the 

 discovery of a defect requiring unconditional rejection the physician 

 of the Local Board need proceed no further; but in all other cases 

 there must be a complete examination." To avoid a possible misunder- 

 standing, it requires to be pointed out with special reference to the 

 Medical Advisory Boards that they, also, "are not required to make 

 a complete examination of every registrant," if "at any point in the 



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