p14  Chapter IV

Physical Requirements

No married man can be admitted as a cadet, and should a cadet marry before his graduation, such marriage is considered equivalent to his resignation, and he must leave the Institution accordingly. A Medical Board, composed of three Medical Officers, assembles at West Point at the proper times and examines carefully and thoroughly into the physical qualifications of the candidates for admission. No candidate is admitted into the Military Academy unless, in the opinion of this Board, he possesses the requisite physical ability to serve his country in the arduous and laborious station of a military officer, not only at the time of his admission,  p15 but during his life, until age shall disable him. The age for the admission of cadets to the Academy is between seventeen and twenty‑two years. Candidates must be at least •five feet in height, and free from any infectious or immoral disorder, and, generally, from any deformity, disease, or infirmity which may render them unfit for military service. It has been decided that should the Board find to exist in the candidate any of the following causes of disqualification, to such a degree as would immediately, or at no very distant period, impair his efficiency, he shall be rejected:

1. Feeble constitution and muscular tenuity; unsound health from whatever cause; indications of former disease; glandular swellings, or other symptoms of scrofula.

2. Chronic cutaneous affections, especially of the scalp.

3. Severe injuries of the bones of the head; convulsions.

4. Impaired vision, from whatever cause; inflammatory affection of the eyelids; immobility or irregularity of the iris; fistula lachrymalis, &c., &c.

5. Deafness; copious discharge from the ears.

6. Loss of many teeth, or the teeth generally unsound.

7. Impediment of speech.

8. Want of due capacity of the chest, and any other indication of a liability to a pulmonic disease.

9. Impaired or inadequate efficiency of one or both of the superior extremities, on account of fractures, especially of the clavicle, contraction of a joint, extenuation, deformity, &c., &c.

10. An unusual excurvature or incurvature of the spine.

11. Hernia.

 p16  12. A varicose state of the veins of the scrotum or spermatic cord (when large), sarcocele, hydrocele, hemorrhoids, fistulas.

13. Impaired or inadequate efficiency of one or both of the inferior extremities on account of varicose veins, fractures, malformation, (flat feet, &c.), lameness, contraction, unequal length, bunions, overlying or supernumerary toes, &c., &c.

14. Ulcers, or unsound cicatrices of ulcers likely to break out afresh.

These disqualifications must not be construed without some latitude. The benefit of a doubt is always given to the candidate when considering his inefficiency.

There being no provision whatever for the payment of the traveling expenses of either accepted or rejected candidates for admission, no candidate should fail to provide himself in advance with the means of returning to his home, in case of his rejection before the Examining Boards, as he may otherwise be put to considerable trouble, inconvenience, and even suffering on account of his destitute condition. If admitted, the money brought by him to meet such a contingency can be deposited with the Treasurer on account of his equipment as a Cadet, or returned to his friends.

It is suggested to all candidates for admission to the Military Academy that, before leaving their place of residence for West Point, they should cause themselves to be thoroughly examined by a competent physician, and by a teacher or instructor in good standing. By such an examination any serious physical disqualification or deficiency in mental preparation would be revealed, and the candidate probably spared the expense and trouble of a useless journey and the mortification of rejection.

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