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CHAPTER XVII. 



PHYSrCAI, QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITION OF 



PATROL. 



There should be a physical examination of applicants to the patrol. 

 It is rot necessary that such examination be as exacting as the 

 present examination for army officers and recruits. Serious physical 

 defects alone need be considered. Organic disease of the heart abso- 

 lutely counter-indicates mountain patrol work. Outside of troubles 

 and weaknesses that would be so apparent as to suggest avoidance of 

 the physical stress of a mountain forest patrol, heart disease is about 

 the only thing that should prevent appointment to the force. Life in 

 the forest is health giving. The pure air and balsamic odors of our 

 mountain forests together with the freedom from city nerve tension, 

 the exercise and simple food would undoubtedly Increase the health 

 of all those in the patrol. The career of forestry is health and life 

 giving. In this respect it is the opposite of such occupations as glass 

 blowing and file grinding. Our race is not yet adapted to constant 

 indoor life, such as our city careers so generally impose. Consequently 

 life in the forest will make a man more vigorous and manly than life 

 behind a counter possibly can. 



The patrol once constituted, it becomes a first duty of the officers 

 to maintain the health and full vigor of each individual in it. Without 

 physical vigor the patrol cannot utilize any knowledge of forest con- 

 ditions. To the extent that physical vigor is diminished, the efficiency 

 of the patrol is diminished. This is true of all occupations. The 

 question then is how to maintain the efficiency of the patrol for the 

 forest work it undertakes. We must consider the health of the indi- 

 viduals in the patrol to do this. 



