Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-01
PHYSICAL TESTS
ARE MODIFIED BY
WAR DEPARTMENT
Thousands Previously Reject
ed by Medical Boards Are
to Be Accepted for Army
Service

/ the physical requirements for men OF
/ the national army, by which thousands
who have been or will be rejected under
the first regulations can now be ac-
cepted for service. were ANNOUNCED to-
day by Provost Marshal General
Crowder
The notifications indicate that the
war department is determined to hold
for servIce-either general military or
special-all men registered except those
whose physical condition can never be
remedied to make them Mt for any
kind of service.
Physical defects that can be remedied
and make the men fit for service will
be remedied or the men put into some
special work, not so rigorous as trench
fighting. Crowder says.
Height and weight requirements were
both lowered and increased. Flat foot
or club or claw foot and several foot
troubles no longer: are causes for rejec-
ton, and local boards are ordered to re
ject no foot cases" Any rejection for
these troubles must be made by the
medical advisory board. Chances for
rejection for eye and ear defects were
greatly lessened and the dental require
ments were modified. Hernia and SINH
lar troubles, the cause of many rejec-
very serious to win rejection. Only COM
plete nasal obstruction will reject, which
means that adenoids and enlarged ton
sis are no cause for rejection.
The minimum height for men of the
new army was lowerd from 81 to SIS
inches by the new regulations, although
all the cases of men between 5S and 60
inches must be referred to the medical
advisory board by the local physicians.
Weight Lowered
Practically all the maximum height
restrictions were removed, indicating
that Uncle Sam sees no reason why the
giants should not fight The old regu-
lations placed the limit at feet 3
inches, but the new order provides that
men above . feet, 6 inches may be ac-
oepted if they are well proportional.
The weight minimum was lowered
from ITO to 100 pounds, although those
whose weight is less than 100 pounds,
because of illness. are to be held for
service pending better health. Only ex-
IRENE cases Of obesity are to cause
overweight rejection. Registrars in
good physical condition, but under the
weight requirements for certain heights,
are to be accepted.
With the exception of those hopeless
" crippled of foot troubles, such as
Ihammer-toes. ounions. and the various
types of fiat-feet that do not interfere
with the wearing of an ordinary shoe, the
registrant is TO be accepted. All doubt
full cases go to the medical advisory
board.
Spinal troubles must interfere seri-
ously with weight-bearing power to re-
ject, and the wearing of a plaster jack
ct will not of itself disqualify the reg
istranJ.
Those who can hear with one ear.
spoken words at a distance of ten feet
will be ACCEPTED, only complete deaf.
ness being a ground for rejection by
local physicians. Deafness i'm one ear
is referred to the advisory board.
Color-blindness no longer will be a
cause for rejection and those whose eye
troubles can be we'll corrected with
proper glasses will be accepted.
If a man has six good teeth on each
jaw he will be taken. Formerly if three
were missing the man would be reject
ed.
Only irreducuible cases of hernia will
keep a man out Of the service under the
new regulations. Local physicians are
not allowed to reject abdominal cases.
AFenereal diseases will be rejected only
when they make a man permanently
unit for service Other registrants
with these defects will be advised to ac-
cept treatment pending receipt of or
ders TO report for duty.
A strict and careful examination of
the lungs is ordered, with a view of
keeping to minimum the number of
pneumonia and tubercular cases in the
camps. Conditions at camps now indi-
cate physicians should be most careful
in this respect, Crowder says.
Extreme cases of chronic alcoholism
will be rejected.
Under the new regulations the power
OF the local examining physicians i
of the local examining physicians is
greatly restricted. Local boards can re-
/ ject or accept for physical qualifications
only when the registrant comes within
certain unconditional standards All
other cases and those OF doubtful inter-
probation go to the medical advisory
board. similar to the district exemption
board
| Physicians do not need 10 make a
/ complete report on any man as was
necessary under t6e first draft As soon
as a defect is found which uncondi-
tionally disqualifies a man. the exami-
/ nation ceases.