Home

Texts

Next Chapter

- p. 361 -
Appendix
Recent Recruiting Statistics of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Health of the Army in 1923
(Extracted from The Lancet, Jan. 30, 26, p. 243.)

"Dental treatment was required by 63.9 per cent. (74.33) of the men, and two thirds of them had their treatment completed.
        "As to recruiting 376.64 (375.22) per 1,000 candidates for enlistment were refused at once, and 40.09 (32.09) per 1,000 men rejected within six months. In this last group there were 2,354 men, and it is estimated that each of them cost the State about £50. The chief causes of rejection were loss and decay of teeth, defective vision, defects of the lower limbs, and deficient chest measurement. The causes of rejection which most increased in 1923 were middle ear and heart diseases." 1

Physical Deficiency in Naval Recruits in 1925
(Extracted from The Lancet, Feb. 13, 26, p. 371.)

        "The total men and boys entered in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines during the year 1925 were 4,092 and 2,979 respectively — i.e., 13 per cent. of those applying. The total number of men and boys 'failed' by medical officers during the period was 4,753; separate

        1 The italics are mine. — A. M. L.

- p. 362 -
figures for men and boys are not available, and there are no records of the numbers rejected by recruiters for physical defects. . . . During the year 1912–13, of those examined by medical officers (men and boys) 26.29 per cent. were rejected, and acceptances were 30.22 per cent. of total number of applicants. During the year 1923–24, of those examined by medical officers (men and boys) 39.47 per cent. were rejected, and acceptances were 14.83 per cent. of the total number of applicants."

Further Details about Naval Recruits
(Extracted from The Lancet, March 13, 26.)

        "The percentage rejected in 1925 was 87, and of the candidates rejected by the final medical examining officers the principal defects were:—

Defect Proportion and Total Rejections
Defective vision 19.39           
Defective teeth 12.66           
Diseases of the heart 8.75           
Flat foot 8.41           
Diseases of the ears 7.61           

        Similar statistics for candidates who were not sent to the final medical examining officers are not available, as they would have involved an expenditure of clerical work which would not have been justified.

Physique and Health of Air Force Recruits in the Year 1925
(Extracted from The Lancet, Feb. 20, 26, p. 423.)

        The number of men passed fit for service in the Air Force was 1,885, the number rejected as medically unfit was 3,414, or a percentage of 54.19 of those medically

- p. 363 -
examined. The principal causes of rejection were as follows:—

Defect Proportion and Total Rejections
Defective vision 13.0             
Diseases of the heart 12.4             
Poor physique 9.5             
Diseases of the ears 8.8             
Deformities of the feet 8.6             
Diseases of the lungs 8.1             
Defects of vision 7.3             
Defects of the extremities 2.3             
Other causes 30.0             


Home

Texts

Next Chapter