Evening star., 1941-10-05
Physical Cheokups
For All Studied by
Medical Society
Question Raised by
Roosevelt to Be Topic
Of Meeting November 5
Nv HAROLD b. ROGERS.

The question of periodic physical
examinations for all civilians. raised
Friday by President Roosevelt. has
been under consideration for some
time by the District Medical Society.
which has decided to devote It's next
meeting. November 5, to discussion
of the subject.
Such a program was mentioned by
the President during MS disruoSi0Il
of amazing and disturbing" reports
on the high proportion of young men
rejected for military service be-
cause of disabilities. The Chief
Executive indicated further develop
ments would be forthcoming, includ-
ing disclosures in a statistical survey
which he may make public soon.
A meeting is scheduled for noon
Tuesday at the Medical Society
headquarters for a preliminary dis
cussion of how the society can CO.
operate in the survey being mace
under direction Of the selectlve
service system. The scope and cost
of rehabilitation of young men re-
iected because of physical defects
will be discussed. 1t has been offl-
ciallv indicated that Government
officials are considering some kind
of program to recondition reJectees
who desire it, probably at public
cost.
Studies Already Made.
While rehabilitation of military
rsiectees and periodic check-ups OF
ali civilians have been linked by
the President it was learned that
ty,e Medical Society has been study
ing the two subjects through two
separate committees, and already
has made substantial progress.
Periodic physical examinations
have been studied by the Medical
Society Committee on Public Health,
of which DR.. John A. Reed is chair
man. The committee last July
adopted an extensive report, Whlch
was sent to the societys Executive
Committee and unanimously ap-
proved. with recommendation that
the matter be considered by the
whole society.
This report came to the conclu-
sion that there can be no douot
that still greater emphasis Will be
placed on preventive medicine. par
ticularly on periodic physical check-
I'D. Physicians should therefore or
eanize themselves for an extensive
effort in this field
Test to be Made Here.
The subject will be divided into
two general topics for discussion at
the next meeting of the society.
The scientific phases are TO be can
vassed bv DR.. Reed Of the Commit
tee on Public Health. Economic
aspects of the problem Will be dis
cussed by Theodore Wiprud, secre-
tary of the society.
The Selective Service system has
chosen Washington as one OF 2o
communities to be used to test the
scope and possible cost OF program
to rehabilitate rejected military men.
The meeting Tuesday. which is to be
informal. at the Medical Society, will
be attended by representatives OF
the Selective Service, Red Cross,
medical and dental professions,
Health Security Administration and
others.
Available at that time will be
studies already made of the problem
bv the Medical Society's Committee
on Military Affairs, OF which the
chairman is DR.. James Alexander
Lyon. A report of this military COM
mittee. approved by the societys
executive committee. has placed the
society on record officially as decid-
ing to Cooperate" in making the
survey.