Evening journal., 1918-06-18
DRASTIC NEW RULES
FOR ARMY SERVICE
Orders Exclude Few Men
from Service 10 Some
Military Capacity
WEIGHT ORDER
ALSO CHANGED

lie yesterday. Drastic changes arc Ut
dered in the new regulations, which
provide minute methods for detecting
mallngerers and draft dodgers and
lower the physical requirements In
many respects.
The order VIII be communicated In
several days TO all medical examiners
in the regular, national army, National
Guard, medical reserve corps and re-
cruitlng Offices Of the United States
army. As'soon as II is received It VIII
be put into effect and Will thereafter
govern all physical examinations for
drafted men, as well as voluntary apph-
cants for army enlistment.
Four classes. graded according to the
physical makeup Of those examined
are provided for. They are;
i-Those Internationally accepted
for general military service.
2-Those suffering from remedial de-
fects who will be accepted for gen
eral military service in the deferred
remedial group.
O-lUnNf HdNllik nflf'NT
~ them for limited military service.
4-Those having such defects as lo
warrant their unconditional rejection.
Only in case OF total disability VIII
Hregistrsnt be placed in the fourth class.
Blindness i'm one eye is not sufficient 10
dlsqualify man for limited service
and there are many other defects which
have been deemed sufficient heretofore
10 bar a registrant which Will not e1-
clude him under the revised regulations.
For instance. one need now have but
twelve "servlceable teeth" six OF them
masticating and the other six incisor,
$50 opposed as 20 serve the purpose OF
Inclsion and mastication." to be accept
ed without condition for full military
service.
Teeth which have been restored by
crows or dummies attached to bridge
work. II well placed, will be considered
serviceable natural teeth. when the ap-
pearance OF such as 10 clearly warrant
this assumption.
Even a clubfoot Of slight degree, an
absent left thumb, the loss Of one finger
on either hand with exception OF the
right index finger. or stiff fingers OF
degree not TO interfere with function
will not disqualify a man for service II
the trenches.
A hammertoe. a fracture, or claw
toe also are insufficient to disqualif,
one for full service.
The weight requirements are slighu,
changed. One who Is less than i've Zee
three inches will be Internationally re
iected for all military service. excep
for insular troops Poundage less thar
tf6 hounds also will result In total re
lection. as viii a height OF more thar
seventy-eight inches or overweight
which Is greatly out OF proportion V
the height, provided Il interferes with
normal physical activity or with proper
training.
Hysterical paralysis or muscular tre-
mors OF moderate degree may not be
considered sufficient to warrant defer
red physical classification. according
to the new regulations, but all forms
Of insanity, including acute slcohol-
ism, will reSlt in conditional re-
lection.
Good soldiers can be made OF some
mallngerers but not OF all, says the
new order and care should be taken IN
disposing OF their cases. The instruo-
tions in this regard read:
"Millingerers may be divided into
three general groups
'Reai malllngerers with nothing the
matter with them, who injure them
selves. or make allegations respecting
diseases or such conditions as drug
taking or who counterfeit disease with
full consciousness and responsibility
all for the purpoe Of evadlng military
service. Many OF these have been
coached.
"Psycho-neurotics, who are natural
complainers and try TO get out OF every
dissgreeable thing IN life. Perhaps only
partially conscious Of the nature or
the seriousness OF what they do and
only partly responsible. In many the
motives are not persistent and many
can be made good soldiers.
"Conhrmed psycho-neurotics with a
long history OF nervous breakdowns
and illnesses who behave like the real
melIngerers. but more persistently. and
from whom not much can be expected
In the way OF reconstruction
The latter class does not possess the
right kind Of, stun for soldier. hs
order inilmates, and physicians should
reject them.
All those who use crutches. spec
tacles. trusses and strappings should
be carefully examined, says the new
order because this form OF camou-
flaged disability is frequent. The same
care should be taken to detect regis
trants who have had their teeth pulled
out. who have used artificial substances
10 irritate the skin. who feign insanity.
and those who pretend 10 be hard OF
hearing and others who put sand and
other irritating substances under tne
eyellds to simulate blindness.
The purpose OF the new order is Ge-
clared TO be for securing greater efli-
cheney and uniformity in the examina-
tion OF registrants and drafted men.
Medical examiners should consider
the standards as a guide TO their dis
erection; therefore they are not 70 be
construed too strictly or arbitrarily.
''The object is TO procure men who
are physically flt. or who can be made
so. for the rigors of field service, or
for special and limited service.
Local board and medical advisory
boards should be especially careful in
the selection OF resistrants who suffer
from defects OF fsvision. defects Of hear
ing and with chronic discharge from
the ear or ears; toxic conditions asso-
ciated with abnormal conditions OF the
thyroid gland; valvular disease OF the
heart; tuberculosis, epilepsy, mental
disease or deficiency and irremedisl de-
fects OF the feet. In other words, to
make good soldier. the resistrant
must be able to see well, have compara-
lively good hearing. his heart must be
able 10 stand the stress OF physical ex-