H.—lla

30

Table 8. —Effect of Age on Fitness (a) Distribution among Medical Grades at Selected Age-points (Single Men) The table set out below is based on the medical gradings assigned to 13,274 single men examined after being called up in the fifth, sixth, and seventh ballots, these being all such men examined up to the end of June, 1941.

The most striking features shown by this table are — (i) The rapid decline in physical fitness (as shown by the percentage placed in Grade I) as age advances ; and (ii) The correspondingly rapid increase in the proportion found unfit for active service (Grades 111 and IV) as age advances.

Graph showing Distribution among Medical Grades at each Age (Single Men)

(b) Distribution among Medical Grades at Selected Age-points (Married Men) This table is based on the medical gradings assigned to married men examined following their being called up in the thirteenth to nineteenth ballots inclusive —i.e., some 129,000 men.

Age-point. Medical Grade. 19 21 25 30 35 40 43 Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. I .. .. .. 73-1 66-0 54-7 47-0 40-4 32-4 24-0 Temp. Unfit and Defer. .. 7-9 10-0 11-5 10-8 10-5 10 * I 9-8 II .. .. .. 9-5 10-5 13-1 14-8 15-3 14-6 12-3 III .. .. 6-7 9-7 15-3 20-5 24-8 28-3 33-9 IV .. .. .. 2-8 3-8 5-4 6-9 9-0 14-6 20-0 All grades .. 100-0 100-0 100-0 100-0 100-0 100-0 100-0

Age-point. Medical Grade. 19 21 25 30 35 40 43 Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. I .. .. .. .. 69-7 61-7 53-3 46-4 37-9 30-6 Temp. Unfit and Defer. .. .. 9-1 11-1 11-9 10-6 9-9 8-3 II .. .. .. .. 9-0 12•6 15-5 17-4 17-2 16-1 III .. .. .. .. 11-4 13-7 18-2 23-9 31-7 40-0 IV .. .. .. .. 0-8 0-9 1-1 1-7 3-3 5-0 All grades „ 100-0 I 100-0 100-0 100-0 100-0 100-0