PHYSIQUE EXCELLENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1179, 14 July 1911, Page 4

PHYSIQUE EXCELLENT.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF TEKUITORIALS. (By Telegraph-Frets Association.) Christchurch, July 13. The medical examination of young men who have been registered under the new Defence Act is at present in progress. Every evening this week a large number of (hose who arc eligibe to serve under the colours have, in accordance with instructions, presented thcmselve at the defence office, where they have passed through tho hands of the medical officers. Tho ti'st, as set forth in (ho "Personal Record' Book," issued to each youth, looks a formidable one,nbtit,.acting ,on,orders issued by General Godley, Commandant of New Zealand Defence Forces, a certain amount of latitude is allowed, the idea being that a lad showing only a slight degree of physical .unfitness may be unproved by physical training necessitated by the new scheme. The medical examination form sets forth the following questions: Age, height, weight, Colour of eyes, colour of hair, full inspiration, expiration, girth of abdomen; also is heart, action normal, what is pulse rate, is respiration full and normal, sight and hearing; has vaccination been successful? colour vision, and condition of teeth. Up to tho present there havo been practically no rejects, although some 203 lads havo passed through the ordeal of being medically examined. In one or two cases, however, it has been found necessary to order a youth to "stand down" for a few mouths owing to soma defect the naturo of which was too pronounced for him to bo drafted into the Territorials at the present stage. Speaking to a "Press" representative last evening, one of the medical officers engaged in the examination said that, taken all round, the physique of tho young men was excellent. It had como as a surprise to him to find that such a few had to be "turned down" (to use his own expression). This was very different to the state of affairs prevailing a few years ago when recruits were being examined for service in the Boer War. Then about two out of every five recruits failed to pass the censor."