THE FIT AND THE UNFIT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 8

THE FIT AND THE UNFIT

SOME MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS

DISEASES AND OCCUPATIONS

The medical classification of the 71,177 reservists who were examinedby the medical boards during the period of the First Division ballots reveals many important facts.' The figures do not separate balloted men from volunteers, and they deal with some married men as well as the unmarried men called under the Military Service Act.

The classification' of .recruits by ago and physical condition is of value, as showing the progressive decline in the percentage of fit men as the age advances. Tho men over forty years of age who were examined yielded a very small proportion of fit recruits, and- it appears thai they, werb scarcely worth attention from the military point of view. The following are the figures :— 20-25 '25-30 30-35 A 9,476 6,693 4,970 Bl 239 153 133 B2 655 481 279 CI 1,082 . 554 ' 352 C 2 9.183 9,005 - 7,4915D 702 704 521

Tls. by age 21,336 17,650 13,750 > ' Tls. by ' Over 40. Classes. A 2,803 1.441 25,382 Bl ....' 94 45 654 B2 ...;..... 160 66. 1,641 CI ......:.. 192 82 2,261 C 2 ......... 5,770 7,032 38,546 D .......... 361 405 2,693

C 2 ......... 5,770

.' Tls. by age 9,370 9,071 71,177 The birthplaces of recruits are shown in an interesting table.. The figures deal with the 71,177 men examined during,the period-of the First Division ballots. Thov show that the men of New Zealand birth were more than 75 per cent, of the total, and that about 18 ner cent, of the men were natives of the United Kingdom. Tho figures are as follow: — • ■ ■

"S 3, -*s ■■ n'v --HI --c £g ■-. £ SO , « 0.0 Auckland .12,932 1,242 3.886 53 "Wellington 17,371 1,708 5,421 101 Canterbury 13,550 768 2,366 '28 Otago 9,921 400 1,503 17

■53,774-3,028 13,176 199

A return, by occupations, of the mer. who were rejected from the Fit A class provides a basis for sonie.'iuteresting comparisons. The, following table, for example, shows tho numbers of men in certain occupations rejected from A Class on account of heart weakness- (chiefly valvular 'disease of the heart), and defective vision and tubercular disease (chiefly of the lungs) ; ■ n<i.

Jockeys, trainers, etc.'. ......... 59 18 7 lii 6 reservists rejected during the period of tlio First Division ballots included 149 men siifforing 'from syphilis,. These men included 1 chemist, 1 dentist, 7 clerks, 8 railway employees, IV tanners, 5 farm workers, 22 Eeiieral labourers, 6 seafarers, 3 cooks, 8 hotel and restaurant 6 mill and factory employees* and 8 mechanics. the. men rejected on account of dolectivc intelligence numbered 773. Thev included 180 farmers. 111 f arm S plojed, 16 carpenters and joiners, 16 snop assistants, warehousemen and travelers, 13 mill and factory work. er % \ ? h T» st > and 1 teacher. flat teet caused the rejection of*2m inen This total included 539 farmed 302 general labourers, 232 farm worlers, 119 clerks, 105 'shoo a™ stent " warehousemen and travellers, '82 "ari praters,, and joiners, 72 mechanics, 57 mill and factory workers, and 51 railway employees.

, ' lieHeart fectivc Tuberweakness. vision, cular. Clerks ............ 661 352 144 Toachers 93 07 10 Eftilway workers '174 . 67 24 Farmers 1969 545 251 Farm workers... 813 359 , f>5. General labourers 987 567 122 Wharf labourers • 26 ' 20 1 Carpenters : and- ' • joiners 316 103 45 Drapers -5427 10 Grocers .......... 93 26 7 Miners........... 100 58 '17 Plumbers ........ 53 14 10 Shearers ......... 52 . ' s 7 2 Tailors .. 54 . 27 8 MillTmd factory employees 276 129 25 Hotel and Restaurant emps. 79 50 19 Shop, assistants, warehousemen ..travellers... • 448 . 196 68; Seafarers ........ .81 68 13 Butchers ......... 81 30 11 Builders and contractors ... ' 85 /19 13 Engineers 10§ • 74 23 Mechanics 211' 79 30 Smiths 97 34 8