THE PARTIALLY UNFIT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 6

THE PARTIALLY UNFIT

THOSE MINOR OPERATIONS. A question relating to the cases of men requiring operations to -make them fit for active service was asked in the House yesterday by Mr. J. Vigor Brown. He_ drew attention to a recent circular which ho said had been sent out by the Recruiting Board to the effect that men undergoing certain, operations would not be allowed to join the Force for six months afterwards. The Minister of Defence said that the circular referred to what were known as minor operations for complaints such as varicocele, varicose,veins, and others. In many cases the men, after treatment for such complaints, were found to. be unfit for service. The Recruiting Board therefore had decided that it could not enter into any obligations in regard to these men unless it could be shown after treatment that they were actually, fit for service. Experience hud shown that many of these men were not fit for service for t» SIX months after operations. Dr. Thacker: One month is quite sufficient.

Mr. Allen: The lion, gentleman is a medical man, and of course I bow to his superior knowledge,, but the decision of the Recruiting Board is based upon the opinion of .Surgeon-General Henderson Director of Medical Services, who was brought out from Home for the purpose of advising the Government on such matters. He so-vs that" a period of at least six months is necessary.