Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1917-10-26
Not Even Slight Defects Are
Overlooked - The Doctor
Who Makes Mistake Must
Refund Money Spent on the
Recruit.

cantS Tor enlistment must certi-
fy in the case Of successful applicant
that "he has no mental or physical de-
feet disQualifying him for service in
the United States army"
To the layman the tests made often
seem unduly severe. Even civilian ply
sicians are apt to consider the line too
strictly drawn. In the examinations
for the training camps the candidate
often appeared with certificate from
his physician stating that he was fit
for service" and was extremely indig-
nant when he was rejected by the
army surgeon who made the examina-
ton.
The result was that for many days
the newspapers contained letters from
candidates who asserted that they had
always been perfectly well' had al
ways played tennis and golf and
were star athletes at school and col
lege. The answer might be made that
war Is neither tennis nor golf and that
even the perils and vicissitudeS Of the
college athlete, from the bruises and
fractures Of the football field to the
more insidious dangers of ice cream
soda, are hardly comparable with
trench warfare.
The common belief is that the regula-
lions for the examination for the re.
cruits are sort of medical red tape, the
requirements being based largely upon
chance, as though several army sur
geons had sat around a table and care
fully thought out series of physical
requirements without any special rule
or reason for most of them. Nothing
could be further from the truth.
Two Points Considered.
The recruit is chosen from two points
of view: First, the United States as an
employer Does he have the necessary
Intelligence and the required education
to make good soldier? By education
are meant his command of the English
language and his apparent ability to
understand and carry out commands.
Second, the physical qualifications of
the recruit Has he sufficient physical
endurance to carry out the daily routine
of soldier, and has he or can he de-
velOp sufficient reserve force to stand
up under the strain of unusual physi-
cal exertiOn? No matter how well
soldier serves during what might be
called his normal activities, he is worse
than useless if he becomes an addi-
tional burden to the army during pc
RODS of unusual stress.
In general to pass the examiner the
candidate must be reasonably normal
in appearance. Even the layman can
understand that an army of cripples
would be poor army. A perceptible
limp in one private i'll a company will
succeed in putting the other men out
of step, thus making the march much
more difficult for the entire company.
The applicant must be able to carry
his rifle and packs. TO kneel, to shoot
and in other ways to perform the
movements required of a soldier In a
normal manner. A slight stiffness Of
joint, if it does not interfere with his
duties, does not disqualify.
Skin Diseases Disqualify.
The man must not be Objectionable
to his terminates. For this reason skin
diseases, even II harmless, are disquali-
flying Even the simple acne. or PIN
pies, If severe enough to be positively
diSfiguring, may serve as bar to en-
llstment. In the same way uncleanly
habits which would make a recruit OBJ
jectiOnable to other soldiers are con-
sidered disQualifying.
The general diseases which disquali-
fy require only brief mention. The
acute diseases, such as acute brOn-
chitis, typhoid fever, measles. scarlet
fever malaria and many others, may
act only as a temporary bar. the enlist
ment being made after recovery. In
deed, in some cases, II the condition is
mild and permanent disability unlike
~ fOr example, a mild Influenza, tho
applicant may be enlisted and kept In
the hospital until cured OF the chrOn-
ic diseases, tuberculosis, Brights dis
ease chronic heart disease and chrOn-
ic Venereal diseases are the most fire.
quent causes Of disqualification. In
such cases the medical officer deter
mines the desirability of the applicant
by deciding whether in. his opinion the
recruit will In the future suffer disa-
bility as a result of the existing all
ment, the decision being reached after
consideration Of the applicants pre-
viOus life and training. If an appli-
cant is suffering from any form of
pulmonary tuberculosis or any other
form of chronic facilitating disease he
is rejected, even II he is the most
prominent athlete in college and Is
otherwise In excellent physical condi-
ton.
Naturally many Of these rejects will
finally be cured and will then person
ally testify to the inefiiciency Of the
army surgeon and the total insufficient.
cy Of army regulations which reject
individuals who later prove to be sound
and healthy.
In such cases it should be remember
ed that the surgeon does not certify
that the applicant is certain to become
disabled If enlisted in the army. He