The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-04-14

so far for defective teeth and de-
fective eyesight, regulations for
which and the Interpretation
thereof by draft boards have been
oyer-rigid."
DR.. Lee is notable for common
sense and this pronouncement is
an example Of it. The teeth and
the eyes are very complicated
anatomical. instruments and the
theoretically perfect set Of teeth
and the theoretically perfect set
Of eyes are very rare.
Slight lmperfectIons
To take the teeth, which can be
more easily explained. if your two
upper teeth do not meet exactly
the edges Of your two lower teeth,
then you are in a defective class.
OF course, this doesn't mean that
your general health is bad OF that
you cannot do just as strenuous
work as somebody else whose teeth
do happen to occlude perfectly.
The eye is a spherical globule
filed with liquid and naturally
the geometrical projection Of the
sphere is not absolutely perfect.
This does not necessarily result
IN bad eyesight and certainly does
not necessarily mean bad general
health. All such defects can be
corrected by glasses and the ma
jority of them are corrected by
exercise and unconscious sdapta-
ton by the person himself.
Another common preventable
defect which was detected by the
Selective Service Boards is squint
or cross eye in one eye. Many OF
these have been corrected by sur
gerry. Neglect Of after-care in the
way of eye exercises sometimes
makes the operation useless, be-
cause such exercises make the vi
sion nearly perfect.
Another cause of rejection has
been opacities or scars of the
cornea. The cause of this defect
is possibly an infection or lack
of vitamin b complex and when
healing has taken place, the
amount of visual defect is very
slight and is not likely to return.
There is no reason for hysteria
about the state Of the national
health on the basis of the rejec-
ton Of draftees, especially since
the majority Of the reflections
we're made on the basis Of dental
and visual defects, which have no
significance as far as general
health is concerned, and are cas-
lily corrected. Many of the fight
ing men with one bad eye or a
few missing teeth in the last war
cleaned out machine gun nest.
Col. Leonard Rowntree, Chief
Of the Medical Division Of the Ma
tional Selective Service Head
quarters stated that: "Selective
Service is holding a mirror before
the public and giving the facts
and indicating the need. On this
basis should be built new public
health for the nation" In gen.
eral way | agree with this, and
that it is necessary to have meth
DDS Of public education and treat
ment Of eye and teeth defects in
the public schools; better lighting
conditions and safety measures in
all industrial plants are also es-
sentisl.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
+. W. B.: In our school the chill
dren may purchase whole milk or
chocolate drinks for mid-morning
lunch. Am l unduly prejudiced
against chocolate, or is it true that
the milk is much better for them?
The bottle cap reads whole milk,
skim milk, chocolate flavor and
sugar" The chocolate drink is
very popular and some children
have it every school day.
Answer: The chocolate favor
does not modify the value Of whole
milk, if understand you cor
rectly. in supposing that the ehoe-
olate drink contains whole milk
with chocolate flavor added. ]
think you have a legitimate objec-
ton if the children are simply
getting a chocolate-favored drink.
As you have observed, it debauches
their taste.
G. A. NJ: Is there such thing
as superauous hair being caused
by gland condition?
Answer: Yes. The conditions
are rare, but it is known that
changes in the adrenal and pitui-
-tary glands cause superhuous hair.
However, this is not the cause in
ninety-niue cases out Of a hundred