Today’s pat-downs mild

Subject: Pat-downs for passengers and flight attendants on airplanes avoiding suspicion of explosives.

For the safety of our citizens in general and considering our international problems, such examinations should clearly be accepted by all. From a practical experience – as a med student in uniform during World War II – I was one of many to physically examine inductees into our military. They were all men and in a line of 30 or 40, with no clothes on, walking from one examiner to the next.

My examination was to palpate the groin of the inductees to see if they had hernias left or right. Then they would move a few feet to the next examiner to look in their ears, another one to check blood pressure, etc., etc.

Females were in a separate room. Relative to the only objection, one man came through completely nude but with his necktie on. It was a simplistic message that he did not think it was necessary to come through completely nude (we all laughed).

Finally, this kind of examination may be made clear to the airports and citizens of America.

George W. Bagby II, M.D.

Spokane