Volume 185 - Issue 11
Super vision
Author: Henry Kan
Med J Aust 2006; 185 (11): 686. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00766.x
Published online: 4 December 2006
Published online: 4 December 2006
It was the mid 1950s in Newcastle, a time of world unrest from the expansion of communism, and balloted national conscription by birthday. To supplement the meagre income of a second-year resident (a princely sum of 12 pounds, 5 shillings for a 70–80 hour week), I would go and examine the “nashos” (national conscripts) for their induction into the army, when the work was available. It paid as much as two or three pounds for a couple of hours’ work.
Towards the end of such a session, in a small break, I leaned back in the chair and stretched.
In came a gangly, sinewed youth, ambling slowly forward.
“Name?” I asked in a quiet voice.
“Kev Browwwn.”
Hearing’s OK — tick.
“Good health?”
“A’reckon.”
A quick physical confirmed no flat feet, hernia or haemorrhoids. Grade A-1.
Coming to the last item —
“Stand on that line” I instructed, while filling in the form and pointing behind my back.
“Read the lowest line you can see on the chart on that wall.”
It’s 6/5, better than 6/6.
A long pause — did the chart fall off? — no.
I turned to have a closer look at the youth’s face — crystal clear eyes in deep sockets, slowly squeezing into a line, reminding me of Gary Cooper in his Oscar-winning role as sharpshooter Sergeant York.
“Ahh — ’m gettin’ it . . .”
Then in a great tumble: “W J Pettigrew, Government Printer.”