OPINION OF THE MEDICAL BOARD
Notes.—(i) Clear and decisive answers to the following questions are to be carefully filled in by the Board, as, in the event of the man being invalided, it is essential that the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital should be in possession of the most reliable information to ENABLE THEM TO DECIDE UPON THE MAN'S CLAIM TO PENSION.
(ii) Expressions such as "may," "might," "probably," etc., should be avoided.
(iii) The rates of pension vary directly according to whether the disability is attributed to (a) active service, (b) climate, or (c) ordinary military service. It is therefore essential when assigning the cause of the disability to differentiate between them (see Articles 1162 and 1165, Pay Warrant, 1913).
(iv) In answering question 20 the Board should be careful to discriminate between disease resulting from military conditions and disease to which the soldier would have been equally liable in civil life.
(v) A disability is to be regarded as due to climate when it is caused by military service abroad in climates where there is a special liability to contract the disease.
20. (a) State whether the disability is the result of (i) active service, (ii) climate, or (iii) ordinary military service.
(b) If due to one of these causes, to what specific conditions do the Board attribute it?
21. Has the disability been aggravated by—
(a) Intemperance?
(b) Misconduct?22. Is the disability permanent?
23. If not permanent, what is its probable minimum duration?
To be stated in months.
24. To what extent is his capacity for earning a full livelihood in the general labour market lessened at present?
In defining the extent of his inability to earn a livelihood, estimate it at ¼, ½, ¾, or total incapacity.
25. If an operation was advised and declined, was the refusal unreasonable?
26. Do the Board recommend—
(a) Discharge as permanently unfit, or
(b) Change to England?Signatures:—
——————President.
——————Members.
Station ——————
Date ——————
APPROVED.
Station ——————
——————
Administrative Medical Officer.
Date ——————
It should be remembered that the bulk of the medical officers were civilians, that they were unaware of the broad questions of policy involved, and that they were inclined on principle to give a holiday to a man who had been fighting, and even to believe the stories told them by the malingerer. The reader will therefore not be surprised to learn that a number of men who were certainly not in a very bad way were recommended for two, three, or six months' change, or even for discharge. The proceedings of the Board were reviewed by a responsible officer; for a long time by Lieut.-Col. Barrett when acting as A.D.M.S. on General Ford's staff. It was, however, difficult to persuade any Board which had once expressed their opinion to modify it, and almost impossible to get them to reverse it. If their recommendations had been rejected altogether, the conduct of the Service would have become difficult. Under direction, an attempt was made to modify the practice by appointing a permanent Board in each hospital, presided over by a senior medical officer charged with the duty primarily of attending to Board work, and of acting as a clinician only when he had time.