PASSED BY THE DOCTORS

Evening Star, Issue 16353, 20 February 1917, Page 7

PASSED BY THE DOCTORS

FIT OR UNFIT MEN. AUCKLAND SOCIETY'S OBJECTION. "FIT" MEN WHO HAVE FITS. "Young men totally unfit for service are being sent into camp," said Mr X. Alfred Nathan at a meeting of the executive of the Auckland Patriotic Association last Wednesday (says the Auckland 'Star'). Mr Nathan went on to say that if these men were sent away they "would be coming back before long'as sick men, and the patriotic associations would be called upon to support them. He quoted the case of a man who was subject to fits, and who had lately sustained concussion of the brain through a fall from a horse. This man had now been called up for active service. He knew of another instance in which a man who was badly ruptured had been passed as fit. Mr V. J. Lamer said that he knew personally of men passed as fit that anv layman with a fair amount of common sense would label "unfit." In one particular case, a man with a contracted chest, deformed back, and a hectic cough, had been sent into camp. He pointed out, however, that in cases where men, otherwise well, said they were subject to fits, the doctors had no option but to pass them as fit, as the only way to prove whether a man had fits o'r not'was to see bun in one. If the association attempted to interfere in the matter they would be toid that they were not a medjcal hoard. No resolution was passed on the matter. —Not a. Paying Proposition.— Interviewed about the matter subsequently, Mr Lamer expressed himself in ; very strong terms. " I don't want to question the ability of the Medical Board nor to appear discourteous." he said, "but there can be no doubt that the number of men who arc palpably unfit and are being sent into camp from Auck- . land is alarming. As a member of til" ; executive of the Patriotic Association . many men rejected from camp come under my notice, and in many instances I cannot help wondering how' the men ever got under canvas at all. There are the two

instances that I mentioned at the meeting of the executive. The veriest layman could decide that these men were not fieUed for camp life, and vet thev are passed as "fit"! If this is' to continue. the problem will be a- very serious one. lor these men who are turned out of camn not only become a charge on the patriotic funds, but are a direct loss to the country. The proposition of sending even the very doubtful men into camp is not a paying one, for the percentage of rejects must be very great-" —A Matter of Efficiency.— " If these men of low physical standard do get through, camp and reach the firing line." continued Mr Lanier, "thev probably give out there and help to flood out the hospitals and hospital ships, and seriously interfere with the general eilieiency of the army." -Mr Lamer remarked that the Medical Board were, of course, firmly entrenched ; behind the special knowledge that gave

them power to decide whether men were fit or unfit, but he was sure that any layman could quite easily pick out many of the unfits who are reaching the camps'. —Charge on Patriotic Funds.— Mr X. Alfred Nathan, when approached by a. reporter about the question, said that he, too. was confront that the number of men who are. being discarded from camp could be_ easily and considerably reduced. He certainly had no desire to hamper the Government in their work of obtainini; recruits, but it war, so obvious that a number of wholly unsuitable men w-ere beim.' sent into camp. These men simply remained in camp for a short time and then returned

to their homes, probably to become a charge on the patriotic funds. " Duly this morning," said Mr Nathan, "a. lady whom J had never previously seen cam? to me with a. letter from her son, who k a medical orderly at the front, The letter claimed that tiie proportion of unfits who were reachintr the firing line was altogether unreasonable." —Tiie Medical Board's Reply.— Leutenant-eolonel E. E. Porritt. president of the MedicaJ Board at present sitting in Auckland, denied absolutely that tho hoard were sending men into camp who were physically unsuitable. "Who is to decide the matter?" he asked. ''Every map who comer, before the board is subjected to a strict feet, that aims at revealing physical unfitness of any port. In many cases we find that a -man is actually, at the time, unlit for service, but what can be better for three men than camp life? Not a single man that we have sent into camp would be the worse for a few days or weeks under canvas. A member of the. patriotic executive had stated that a man had been sent to camp suffering from contracted chest, deformed back, and a- hectic, cough. Could there be anything better for a mar. with a contracted chest and a deformed back than the healthy life and physical t-xoix-iso that camp offers? As far as the 'hectic' cough' is concerned, I absolutely deny that a man in such r- condition was accepted by us for active service There have been many cases of men with very poor chest measurement who in camp have put two inches on to their chest expansion in two months."' —A Channel for Malingerers.— "As far as 'fits' are concerned," Colonel Porritt continued, "Mr Earner is quite correct when he. says that in most- eases it is necessary to actually see. the man suffering from a fit before he can be classed a3 unfit. It is obvious that if we accepted the unsupported word of a recruit that he took fits, we- would open .-> splendid channel for the ir.alingercrs. Only the. other day we had a man here who was seized with a sham fit for the benefit of the board.'" Colonel Porritt concluded by saying that it had been l'ou-.d from experience t':nt it paid to send men into camp who were not at the time in the best of health, and it had been found that these men picked up marvellously under proper medical supervision in camp. The country would/ be benefited to an. enormous extent bv sending these men into camp.