MEDICAL INSPECTION OF ADULTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2243, 24 February 1921, Page 4

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF ADULTS.

The following extract from the November issue of the “Medical Officer’ is of interest in view of the unsatisfactory physical condition of the manhood of this country as re-, vealed in the medical examination of recruit's for the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces:

“In his latest annual report as County Medical Officer of Health for Rutlandshire, Dr. Christopher Rolleston, reiterates his plea for routine periodical medical examination of all adults. He points out that an investigation of the ageperiods at which the 250 deaths occurred in his county last year shows that 22 deaths occurred under one year; 4 occurred between 'two and five years; 7 between five and fifteen, and 12 between fifteen and twenty-five. From birth to the age of twenty-five years only 45 individuals succumbed. 1 rom this period onwards the death-roll rapidly increases.. Between twentyfive and fortv-five 26 deaths are recorded; between forty-five and six-ty-five 50 deaths; and from sixtylive years of age onwards . 129. These figures, lie says, are aji eloquent testimony to the futility of the medical system of England and Wales, which includes a thorough system of medical examination for Versons at the healthiest period of life—i.e., between five and fifteen. Thereafter all routine medical examination and treatment is confined to those who were insured under' an Act —admitted on all hands to be inadequate to the needs of the population and the demands of medical science. Dr. Rolleston urges that routine medical examination of all persons once or twice a year should be *a legal enactment. By this method the signs of early disease in the middle-aged could lie detected and remedied, Early arterial disease in men could be prevented from proceeding to I lie frightful lengths which is now the common story of the consulting-room. Serious uterine disease in women could be defected and cured. Ail untold quantity of misery and early death would lie alleviated and avoided. It is certain that the chief foes of mankind —namely, cancer and degenerative disease —are not connected in any way with school life, and the detection of the early signs of adult disease in school-children is impossible for the simple reason that disease of the adult type does not exist in school children, Dr. Rolleston urges that a further point in favour of adult medical inspection is Ilia I the medical profession as a whole is well acquainted with some of the signs of early disease of adults, and that the teaching of Ihe hospital medical schools is mainly concerned with adults. For one hour he spends with children, the ordinary student spends thirty with adults. T)r. Rolleston adds that the routine examination of all persons would cause Init little trouble or inconvenience; more than half of the insured population seek advice every year, and on such occasions a thorough overhauling could lie arranged." ’