§ Mr. NORTON-GRIFFITHSI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the large number of men who have failed to pass the medical examination on account of bad teeth, although fit in every other respect, and whether he can take some steps to arrange for these men to be looked at by a proper qualified dental surgeon, so that in cases where the defects are slight and can be easily remedied good men may not be precluded from joining the Colours?
§ Mr. TENNANTInstructions have already been issued to all medical examiners of recruits that no man who is organically sound is to be refused on account of bad teeth, unless his appearance leads the medical officer to believe that the loss of teeth is a distinct cause of the man's malnutrition. Many highly-qualified dental surgeons and well-known dental institutes throughout the country are in communication with our recruiting officers, and are patriotically giving their services for the free treatment of intending recruits whose acceptance for the Army can be assured provided their dental defects are first remedied.