The Report of the Director-General of the Army Medical Department
on the health and sanitary conditions of the Army for 1907 was issued on Monday. Taken all round, the results are satisfactory. Not only wore the admission, death, invaliding, and constantly sick rates lower than those for 1906, but they show a still further diminution compared with the preceding ten years. While the decline in sickness has not been confined to any one locality, it has been most marked in Egypt and India, where the admission and death rates have been the lowest on record. Malta fever is now practically non-existent among the troops; important inquiries into the nature of enteric and malarial fevers are being carried on ; and a strong Sub-Committee of the Army Medical Advisory Board, including civilian experts, has been formed at home to co-ordinate and direct individual and collective efforts, and thus secure the best results from any new medical discoveries. In regard to recruits it is ktated that the average ratio of rejections per 1,000 declined from 321 for 1897-1906 to 284 in 1907. While this diminution is attributable to altera- tions in the standards, the Report states that there has been also a decline in the number of those discharged as unfit after election, due to "a wiser system of physical training which excludes the more injurious exercises of the old system." The majority of the recruits were growing lads who would net be fit fot the work of a mature soldier for two year*, and ninety-five per cent, were out of work at the time of enlistment. It is worthy of special note that, next to chest measurement, the most frequent cause for rejection in 1907 was loss and decay of many teeth. There is matter for serious thought as well as satisfaction in the Report.
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