HC Deb 12 March 1900 vol 80 cc585-6
MR. WEIR

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state what percentage of men and boys recruited for the Royal Navy are rejected on account of bad teeth.

MR. GOSCHEN

We have no statistics as to the number of men and boys rejected on account of bad teeth, but it is large. It might be as much as 25 per cent. Careful attention has to be given to the teeth of candidates as a test of health and suitability for service afloat.