Evening star., 1941-04-06
Statistics Issued
On Men Rejected
For Army Training
Bod Teeth, Eyes and Ears
And Mental and Nervous
Disorders Chief Defects

Defective teeth, eyes and ears and
mental and nervous disorders ac-
counted for SYST per cent of the
disqualifications resulting in the re-
lection of 1871 citizens out of the
first group of 100000 selective serv-
ice men examined for Army train
ing by induction boards prior to
February /, the War Department
announced yesterday.
The results of this preliminary
study was based solely on the final
physical examination which pros
pective trainees received after they
had been sent by local boards to
Army induction centers.
Those rejected were separated
into three age groups as follows:
From Is to 25 years inclusive, TO-
o70 rejected from 26 to 80 years,
5,43O rejected, and from 81 to 35
years, 3.454 rejected. In II cases
the ages were not reported. In
cluded in the youngest age group
were 379 men under the minimum
draft age of q who volunteered for
service with their parents consent,
but were found physically unfit.
Rejection Percentages.
The men in the youngest age
group represented 53.OS per cent
of the total number rejected. The
second age group accounted for
1852 per cent and the Oldest group
came to 1921 per cent of the total
number rejected. However, the
Youngest group represented about
so per cent of the total examined,
which has a bearing on results.
Theoretically, it might be expect
ed that each group would contribute
like percentages under each cause
of rejection, the report said. How
ever, this did not hold true.
In the youngest group, under
weight, accounting for 70.l per cent
of the reflections out of the 100000
men examined, represented the
chief cause. 1t compared with Il
per cent in the middle age group
and only SO per cent in the Oldest
group.
Even in the matter of overweight,
the Youngest group led with 43.5
per cent. while the other groups
shows 33.5 and 23 per cent respec-
lively.
In almost every phase OF the ex-
animation. the middle and Oldest
groups Jared better than the young
est.
Defective Teeth.
Defective teeth accounted for the
rejection of 44.3 per cent IN tnlS
group. compared with 80 per cent
and 23.7 per cent for the other two
groups.
Defective eyesight was even more
pronounced in the youngest group,
causing 61.4 per cent of all reJec-
tions. In the other groups it &C
counted for 27.4 and 11.2 per cent.
The percentage of reflections for de-
fective ears was higher, being 62.l
per cent, compared with 24.4 and
l3.5 for the other two age groups,
In the youngest age group the
reflections for mental and nervous
conditions represented 51.3 per cent.
The rate for the middle-age group
was 283 per cent and for the older
group 2O.4 per cent. Venereal dis
eases in the youngest group &C
counted for 81 per cent of the total
reflections for these causes, COM
pared with 3O5 and 15.7 per cent,
respectively, in the other groups.
Defects in Feet.
In the matter or feet, so important
In soldering, 56.6 per cent of the
reflections for defects came from the
youngest age group. The middle
group accounted for 29.5 per cent
and the oldest only for 1879 per cent.
The same also in the case of defects
of the heart, the youngsters &C
counting for $50 per cent OF the re-
tections, compared with 249 and 1872
per cent.
The Army study extended also to
a comparison Of reflections with a
study made of 52,918 disqualified
men in 1917, when the World War
draft age was 81 to 30 years, in
elusive. The principal causes for
reflections in l94l compared with
those of 1917 were as follows:
Teeth, 1892 per cent now, 7.28
per cent in World War; eyes, 1925
per cent and 1473 per cent; ears,
9.52 per cent and 4.65 per cent;
mental and nervous, 1048 per cent
and 999 per cent; feet, 364 per
cent and 6.38 per cent; venereal,
a.44 per cent and 4.12 per cent; heart,
6.18 and 1859 per cent; lungs, per
cent and 1899 per cent.