Dr. DAVIESasked the Secretary of State for Air the number of discharges from the Royal Air Force for heart disease for the years 1921 to 1927; the number of such cases under 21 years of age; and the number of cases in which a history of rheumatism was obtained?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe following table gives the information requested:
DISCHARGES from the Royal Air Force for Heart Disease (Organic). Year Total Discharges for valvular and other Diseases of the Heart. Under 21 years of age. With definite history of Rheumatism. Other cases. 1921 16 4 5 1922 17 5 4 1923 15 4 7 1924 14 6 — 1925 10 5 — 1926 14 2 2 1927 (to date). 8 — 2 These figures do not include 90 cases of heart disease (of which 23 were valvular) who were invalided by the Discharge Board in 1921, but who, from the fact that this was a post-war clearance of medical unfits, probably did not include any under the age of 21.
The cases in the third column are those in which, from a scrutiny of individual records, a history of "rheumatism" was obtained.