Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-10-12

lthode Island had the largest relative number of
men who were below the required military height,
the largest percentage of those below the required
military weight for their height and also the larg-
est percentage of those who were regarded as
OBESE In other words, the population, which
composed to a considerable extent of South Euro
peans and FrenchCanadans, ran to the extreme
The men from certain of the other states, and
especially from the North Central and Northwest
ern States were much better proportional.
III was matter of surprise to many that the
actual gain in weight Of the while in military
service was only about three and third pounds.
Ihere were premature reports of average gains of
from u to 10 pounds What actually happened
however, was that the lean men became more ro-
Dust, While those who were overweight were
trained down to their proper proportion.
The average height stature of 1000 900 men
was O'49 The shortest men came from Rhode
Island, 664 inches; the tallest from Texas 694
inches. Considering the population groups the
tallest men came from the mountain area Of North
Carolina. These men were Of Scotch descent and
averaged 6S.67 inches
"The average weight for the United States was
14154 pounds The heaviest men were from South
Dakota 1866 pounds and the lightest from Rhode
Island, 1864 pounds
"In each 100 men from the urban districts there
were CT defects noted and from the rural 3d. Chi
cago, GO, and Boston, 50, were above the average
TOT the CUES, Wmle Pn1ladelphla, ~, and New
York, co. both below the average
"Of the individual defects, that which was re-
corded most frequently fiat feet, III per cent
of the examined Nineteen and six-tenths per
cent Of all defects noted were for this one
1.-THE effect of race upon the relative frequency
Of this defect is shown by the fact that the Sec
lions with 45 per cent of negroes had relatively
a much smaller number Of cases, rs per cent, than
those of the Scandinavians, 1913 per cent those of
the Germans and of Scandnavians, 119 per cent,
or Of those of the Germans and Austrians, 124
per cent. Consequently, the states of the North
Central section and Of the Northwest had rela-
lively high percentage of cases of this defect
Flat foot was noted only II per cent as fire.
quenty among the men from the rural districts as
among those from the urban.
According to the best information available
venereal diseases noted in 81 per cent of
the selective service men who sent to the
military camps Five and eight-tenths per cent of
all the diseases noted belonged to this class. The
relative prevalence of this class of disease varied
from 1914 per cent among the men from Florida
to 13 among those from Vermont.
1.-THE third most frequent defect noted was
hernia the result of insufficient muscular abdomin-
al support probably aggravated by excessively
heavy labor. OF each 100 men examined, four had
an actual or potential hernia. Seven and one-tenth
per cent of all the defects noted of this char
acter. Inc relative nuTlDer OF cases was greatest
among the from Oregon, 11.S per cent and
least among those from Kentucky, % per cent.
"The retroactive errors Of the eye stood fourth in
numerical frequency. OF each 100 men, 33 had de-
fective vision, due to some character of retroactive
error. OF uil the defects noted SO per cent be-
longed to this class.
"Two and one-half per cent Of all Of Glass men
were rejected as unfit for military service on ac-
count of tuberculosis, or of suspected tuberculosis
Expressed in absolute numbers, $4,000 men out of
3,764000 were unfit for military service as the
result of this disease. 1t was relatively most fire.
quent among the men from certain of the states
of the West and Southwest to which either they
or their ancestors had migrated on account of 1t.
The percentage of cases was greatest among those
from Arizona 81 per cent, and least among those
from Wyoming, IL per cent Arizona was followed
by New Mexico, Colorado, California and then
Rhode Island.
"a greater number of cases were reported among
the men from the cities, "a per cent, than among
those from rural districts 1.S per cent The rela-
tive number of men rejected for this cause from
the four large cities greatest among those
from Philadelphia, "a per cent followed by New
York, 23 per cent. Chicago, % per cent, and Bos
ton, 81 per cent.
zone and hve-tenths per cent of all of the men
examined were rejected on account of mental abb