Percentage of Heart Disease Low.
"Paralleling our experiences of the past, the actual amount of organic disease which was found was fortunately slight. This fall, we found that only 1.3 per cent of the Freshmen had organic heart disease, while 4.6 per cent of them presented hearts which we felt required a certain amount of supervision. These figures correspond closely to our findings in the past. Again we found a considerably larger number of students who were laboring under the belief that they had heart trouble, but who presented sound hearts, than we did students who had a damaged heart without knowing it. This emphasizes an opinion which has been expressed before, namely, that perhaps the most important result from the physical examination of Freshmen is the ability to assure these Freshmen that they are organically sound. This year we found no cases of undoubted tuberculosis, and less than 1 per cent of Freshmen who would require supervision for possible lung damage.
"This year, we have again continued the rating of all of the Freshmen from a standpoint of bodily mechanics. This aspect of the work was inaugurated in 1916 by Dr. Lloyd T. Brown, and he has kindly continued supervision of it. The method of rating is as follows. The individual's feet are carefully examined and he is questioned as to possible previous trouble with his feet. We have discarded the former and now exploded idea that a man's feet can be judged purely on the basis as to whether the arch is high, low, or flat. We are concerned with ascertaining whether the individual uses his feet in a satisfactory mechanical fashion, and whether he has had previous trouble with his feet. The individual is then scrutinized from the point of view of how he stands, and whether his statics is satisfactory from a mechanical point of view. Taking both of these factors into consideration, he is then graded A, B, C, D.
In arriving at this rating it was attempted to adopt the same mental attitude as one might adopt the same mental attitude as one might adopt in deciding upon college grades for academic work. A and B are the types whose bodily mechanics are commendable, while C and D are less satisfactory. The process points which we noted are as follows: Group A; Good Mechanical Use of the Human Body. 1. Head straight above chest, hips and feet. 2. Chest up and forward. 3. Abdomen in or flat. 4. Back usual curves not exaggerated. Group B; Fairly Good Mechanical Use of the Human Body. 1. Head too far forward. 2. Chest not so well up or forward. 3. Abdomen very little change. 4. Back very little change. Group C; Bad Mechanical Use of the Body. 1. Head forward of chest. 2. Chest flat. 3. Abdomen relaxed and forward. 4. Back curves are exaggerated. Group D; Very Bad Mechanical Use of the Body. 1. Head still farther forward. 2. Chest still flatter and farther back. 3. Abdomen completely relaxed "Slouchy". 4. Back all curves exaggerated to the extreme. In 1916 when we only took into consideration how the men stood, we found the percentages were as follows: A 7.5 per cent, B 12.5 per cent, C 55 percent, D 25 per cent. In 1919, taking into consideration both how the individual stood and how he used his feet, we got the following percentages. A 0.97 per cent, B 14.8 per cent, C 49.3 per cent, D 34.8 per cent. It is of some interest that examined by the same physicians, so that the personal equation is largely eliminated, 264 unclassified men who were examined at the same time and who averaged two years older than the Freshmen present similar figures, with the exception that 4 per cent more of the men were rated as C and 4 per cent less as D.
80 Per Cent Use Their Bodies Poorly.
"The outstanding feature of the results of these studies in bodily mechanics is that the examination both in 1916 and 1919 show that 80 per cent of our Freshmen do not use the bodies well. To be sure, their poor bodily mechanics is offset by their youth and otherwise good physical condition. The result of this test certainly suggests that our preparatory schools might do much toward preventing poor habits of bodily use and also that it is desirable for the college to attempt correction.
"This year with the adoption of the Faculty of the requirement of physical training for Freshmen, it will be possible to re-examine the Freshmen at the end of the year and ascertain possible improvement. It is planned to demonstrate in lectures to the entire class the proper mechanical use of the body and feet, and it is also planned to give those in group D whose bodily mechanics is unsatisfactory, a certain amount of intensive instruction in small groups. It is confidently expected that with a simple explanation of bodily mechanics, and with the requirement of regular enjoyable physical exercise, many of these men will show definite improvement on re-examination.
"Another item of some interest in connection with the examination this year was the discovery that 11 per cent of the Freshmen were quite unable to swim. Under the requirement of physical exercises, this 11 per cent will be taught to swim during the Freshman year.
"It is a source of satisfaction that we can report that at the time of the physical examination no Freshman showed the evidence of active venereal disease.
"At the request of the International Y. M. C. A., who are collecting figures on smoking, each Freshman was asked as to the use of tobacco. 381 maintained that they did not use tobacco, while 132 admitted its use.
"With the requirement of physical training for Freshmen, it has been possible this year to encourage in a very satisfactory way the particular form of exercise which each Freshman needed. There is, of course, a large group of Freshmen who need only regular exercise, but among the others one finds all sorts of needs, varying from careful supervision in organized sports to special exercises for the delicate or the physically handicapped. Every attempt has been made to combine the obvious need of the individual and his own inclinations. Mr. Geer and his associates have met their problem of physical training very well and are succeeding in making physical training interesting as well as beneficial. The key-note of the work has been that what is good for the individual need not necessarily be distasteful.