Hesketh Fletcher Gym Team

Roy,

Did you have a parent present when you had your medical at the end of Primary School?

When I had one in the first year at Secondary, mum wasn't present, just the doctor and our School Nurse, but one of my friends in a different school had here mum present.

The only times I had a medical exam were on starting primary school on leaving that school at eleven and at secondary school when having the dreaded BCG jab.
At all times we had to strip to the waist for the exam even for the BCG.

Rob, It was only in my teens and early 20's I had a fear, as I got older I didn't have any medical exams at all.

Then I had this medical insurance plan when I was 60 and I get them through that, no bother at all now.

Keith, so did you have these further medicals examinations
which you so dreaded before you took out medical insurance
or do you still dread them, even though you have your genitals examined every time each year. If so, you are a glutton for punishment!

Rob, I had a mortal fear of medical exams after that one! quite a few times my blood pressure was so high I had to have it taken again later when I calmed down and even told one doctor my fears.

Keith, you must have been dreading the prospect of another medical after only two years after that awful experience.Did the doctor tell you specifically to strip to your underpants ,if not, were you not afraid he might shout at you to get them off, as at your previous experience? At least you were on your own this time when the doctor examined your testicles and penis.I am glad to hear that I wasn't the only one one to have difficulty dressing afterwards. It was a very uncomfortable experience for me as I couldn't even get my foreskin back to normal straight away. It was the summer and I hadn't the benefit of a coat but I was wearing my black double breasted school blazer which provided some camouflage. I felt quite sorry for you, but now you tell us that you have an annual medical exam with no problems!Good on you, you are obviously looking after yourself. I don't recall either of our two sons having school medicals (unless we wern't told) and this would have been from about 1980 to 1995.

Rob, It is good to know I wasn't the only one who got aroused at these medical exams, sometimes now I thnk the doctors at the time liked to stamp their authority, one example was a couple of years later I changed my job and had to have another medical exam and I protested that it had only been a couple of years earlier that I had one, I was told rather abruptly that "that was then, this is now" and to get undressed, at least I was on my own this time and had just my briefs on (sadly at 17 my mother was still buying my underwear, white cotton or cellular ones) but most of the exam was done on an exam table, the doctor pulled my briefs down to my kness and examined my testicles and penis and of course with the handling I got aroused and like you had difficulty dressing afterwards with a full blown erection, I was glad I had a coat which I strategically held over my crotch when I left his room and had to walk across the waiting room.
I still have an annual medical exam through a medical insurance plan I took out some years ago, a lot as changed though and I am treated with dignity and the erections don't happen now when the doctor gets to that point in the exam. I often wonder when school medical exams ceased, does anyone know?. I know that my 14 year old nephew had an ECG at his school afer one lad sadly died on a cross country run because of an unknown heart problem, it was arranged by the PTA at the school, on asking my nephew about it he said that other than if he is ill he never see's a doctor.

Keith, you're right, it sounds horrendous and utter chaos all down to bad mismanagement.I thought the doctor I saw was very abrupt, but at least I was on my own. I had only had to strip to the waist for school medicals but at this one I also had to take my shoes and socks off before he began the examination.When he had finished listening to my chest, etc. I thought that was it but was surprised when I was told to take my trousers off, which I did, putting them on the chair with my other clothes.He snapped at me 'and those!' and I furtively removed my pants and he left me standing naked facing his desk,while he wrote up my report. I felt rather vulnerable at this stage but after what seemed ages I was told to lie on a couch.It felt weird when he started feeling around my groin and through my pubic hair.He thoroughly examined my balls and finally my penis, pulling my foreskin right back, causing me to have an erection. Then he told me I could dressed and for the only time he smiled because I had difficulty in getting my pants on over my erect penis. When asked by my parents asked about the medical I said that it was OK because I was too embarrassed to tell them the details. I now realise, from reading others comments, including yours, Keith, that I had nothing to get embarrassed or ashamed about, and hope that you feel much the same as me .

When I was at school we only had a medical when we left primary school (Year 6) and when were about fourteen which was when we had the dreaded BCG jab against TB.
As I recall we had to be stripped to the waist as we awaited our turn to be examined. The exam was very thorough involving eye and ear tests as well as an examination of your genitalia. Penis and testicles were probed and the uncircumcised had their foreskins pulled back. That often caused an erection and some boys awaiting their turn (as these examinations were not conducted privately) had erections as well.

Thanks Rob, Well it was a very embarrasing medical exam from the word go, it was with another apprentice and when we went to athe small city doctors practice that was doing them there were loads of lads having the same exam and too few doctors to see them, it was nearly two hours before we went to see the doctor, we had to go to a small basement room to be examined and the doctor because of all the extra work was very grumpy, we had been seen by a nurse to have an eye and ear check.

There was no privacy at all, we were told to undress and we stripped just to the waist and stood waiting and he shouted at us he hadn't all day and to take the rest of our clothes off, standing naked with our hands over our genitals I was so embarrassed and so was the other lad, he weighed us and checked our height and then said to put our hands on our heads while he examined us, doing all the usual stuff, it seemed like ages until he did the hernia test, and I had gotten aroused, all though the exam his manner was very brusque. I have had loads of medicals since that were never like that one! I was shaking when I was getting dressed afterwards, and he was at us to hurry up as he had more boys to examine.

Keith,When you had your first medical you were only aged seven,and rightly so,your mum attended.However, if the doctor was going to even just look at your genitals,why was it done so that your mum couldn't see what he was doing? My mum used to see me in the bath almost until I left primary school at age eleven.
I am sorry that you feel unable to describe your apprentice medical exam.A number of us have openly told of our experiences and none more graphically that Andrew on the Burnley Grammar School gymnasium comments last month when he described his medical, which included a rectal examination,prior to joining the Royal Navy, and later on, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. There surely can't be much else left to be get embarrassed about, unless it involved producing a sperm sample.If you've been bottling your problem up for years, maybe now is the time to tell us all about it and you will realise that it was really nothing at all to get embarrassed about.

We didn't have medicals, as such, but the last PE lesson of every term was spent with us being weighed and measured (chest and height), the resultant data appearing on our end-of-term report.

On this theme of medicals I only had two at school, 1 at age seven in primary school, the year was 1955, which my mum attended,they used a storeroom for this and had to strip to the waist and take my shoes and socks off, sit on a stool and have my feet examined and then the doctor did the usual tests of listening to my chest and such, as regards genitals that was done with my back to my mum and my grey shorts just undone and then the doctor pulled my underpants away from my body and looked at my genitals, that was it and then told to get dressed.

My next was at age 13 in senior school in 1961, I don't know if it was arranged like this but it co-incided with the PE lesson, so as we did gym that day we were all in just white PE shorts and sat on benches in the gym, a bottom part had screens put out with a nurse sitting at a table outside the screens with the medical files and called your names out,two names at a time were called and we reported to her and she gave us our folder and went behind the screen and gave it to the doctor, he weighed us and did our height and did a quick eye test, then he sat down at a desk and called us over by name and did the examination, last thing was to push our shorts to our knees and have the cough test and if you were uncircumcised have your foreskin pushed back, after that we reported to the PE teacher and were given push ups and such to warm us up ready for when the whole class had been examined. I left school at 15 with no academic qualifications so had to start work straight away, part way through my first job at a buliders I had to have an apprenticeship medical exam, but that was an embarrassing one, so maybe best to contact me privately if you want to know.

Ivan,As I've previously said, I only had medicals at age 5,10 and 15yrs when I only had to strip to the waist.Therefore when I went to |London,aged 17, for a medical in 1961 when I was getting a job,I expected it to be the same. I had to strip to the waist, but additionally take my shoes and socks off. The doctor examined my chest, etc. and I thought that was it, but I was then told to take my trousers and pants off and had to lie on a couch while the doctor thoroughly examined my groin, then my genitals.I have never had to drop and cough at a medical.

Ivan: my sons still had a medical at their school but they were not as frequently carried out as in our day. I believe only a few independent schools do medicals now. Presumably parents now look after the welfare of their sons!

Yes Matt even during our last year at school we had medical examinations. Then when I got a job I had another medical (although it was an office job) and again it was a "drop em and cough"
It seems at that time it was always done that way.

Since then I have not really had any medical exams having kept in good health.

Would youngsters of today cope with such intimate medicals and do they still have them at school?

Ivan: You still had to drop your pants at the age of 15. seem to remember my last medical at schoo being 14. The doctor always cupped our testicles though. Always a strange experience was the medical.

Like many of the contributors, I attended an all boys secondary modern school between 1961 & 1966. As was the norm PE was shorts only no pants or tops ,plimsolls and no socks. The obligatory communal shower afterwards. That was life. We had regular medical exams and parents were advised they could attend. Fortunately none did. We went into an ante room and stripped to our y fronts and the were called into the medical room 2 at a time. At least because we were used to changing for pe together that was not too embarrassing. I don't know why we did not go in on our own. It was usually a female doctor and the worst bit was having to do the "drop em and cough" with a classmate in the room. This I found out later was to check for a hernia. The doctor did not actually touch or look at our genitals. Just think if the other lads parents were present. My concern was that because my nan was my guardian she could have attended in place of my dad who was working. Can you imagine at 15 having to drop them with her present?

I can't remember having any medicals at Primary School (but do remember visits from 'Nitty Nora.

I can remember two medicals at Secondary School. The first was during the first year there.I remember having to strip down to my vest and knickers and having my height and weight checked by the school nurse . She also checked my hands for warts and feet for verrucas. The doctor then asked me to lift my vest to so he could check my heart and lungs with the stereoscope. At the same time it was obvious to them that I didn't need a bra yet. Quite a few girls were wearing them by that time and I think the nurse did suggest to several others that perhaps it was time they asked their mum to get them one!

The second medical was when I was about 15. In many ways it was similar to the first, except that by that time I was wearing a bra. I had to unhook it and partially remove it so the doctor could do a quick visual examination of my breasts. I didn't really understand why at the time, but I suppose they were checking for inverted nipples or something). I didn't have to remove my knickers, but the nurse did have a quick peek down there and asked if my periods were regular.

In addition to the 2 medicals we also had the dreaded BCG injections at Secondary School.

Pete, It really must have been a relief that no-one's parents, particularly mothers, took up the invitation to attend the examinations and see you and up to four of your mates stripped to the waist to have your eyes and ears examined and then being told by a nurse to take your trousers off and drop your pants down.It sounds as though the female doctor was in such haste to examine your penis and balls that she forgot your upper body.It doesn't matter whether, as in my experience with a male doctor, or with your woman doctor, being naked in front of her and having your foreskin pulled back is enough to give any young man an erection.

Regularity of medicals do seem to vary. I vaguely remember one, possibly two, when I was at primary school. These were "all over" examinations and the later one resulted in a follow up appointment at the children's hospital to make sure everything was O.K. - fortunately it was. I don't remember ever having a medical while I was at secondary school in the 60s.

The p.e. teacher looked at us in the first lesson at secondary school once we had changed into our shorts. His only comment was that there weren't any overweight boys but I later learned that he was supposed to look then and also while we were in the showers for any signs of physical abuse.

At my school in the 1960s we had medicals every year.
We had to line up outside the MI room stripped to the waist and when called had to go in for the examination two at a time.
Why we had to be stripped to the waist to have our eyes and ears examined I shall never know.
Then we had to drop our trousers for the intimate part-having penis and balls examined. The uncircumcised had their foreskins pulled back usually causing an erection which the next boy in line could see often causing him to have an erection as well.

Pete,I only had three school medicals, which were at age 5 when I started school, at 10 years, and at secondary school aged 15. At all examinations we only had to strip to the waist, so I was surprised that you had to take your trousers off and drop your pants at secondary school.There was obviously a variation from one education authority to another. Therefore, when I had my medical when I went for a job, which was also to work in an office, I was unprepared to have to have to strip naked,and then have to lie on a couch and have my balls and penis examined and my foreskin pulled right back, causing me to have an erection! So it sounds as though you were fortunate that you only had to stand and have a drop and cough exam, for which your school exam had prepared you for. However, as you say, such medicals would not be allowed in schools today. Also, for most jobs today, if any medical information is required, this is obtained by the completion of a questionnaire and the provision of details of your GP.

Rob, I do not suppose they could cope with it these days and I do not suppose such Medicals would be allowed. i won't go into the experiences with the school dentist which was a real butchers shop, painful and scary.

At Secondary school we had regular medical exams(which they do not seem to do now). When we were about 14 the examination got really serious and there were rumors about having to drop everything in front of a female doctor.When the time came for the exam, three or four boys at a time lined up in the medical room stripped to the waist. A nurse then came to us and told us to remove our trousers so we stood there in our pants. That was not a problem we were used to being in the changing rooms together for pe. After all everybody wore the same type white briefs. We stood in line waiting for the doctor to call us forward, and after checking chest eyes etc the last thing was "drop your pants right down" and she proceeded the with the "cough" test whilst holding your privates. Of course the boy next in line had a full view of your but,and was then getting nervous about his turn.

Parents were invited to attend but much to the relief of all boys no one was ever accompanied by a parent. That would have been embarrassing. At least with the doctor it was better not knowing her and knowing that you would not see her again.

But then when I went for a job I had to have a medical and I was going to work in an office! This included a drop em & cough exam and at least all the school exams prepared me for this.

Pete, I don't know how they would cope if they had to go for a medical examination like I had in 1961 before I left school but had got a job to go to subject to a satisfactory medical in London. I had the usual eyesight and hearing tests, plus being weighed and measured by a nurse before seeing a male doctor and having my blood pressure measured.
After having to strip to the waist and take my shoes and socks off for the doctor to examine me, I had to take my trousers and pants off in front of him and turn around and then lie on a couch while he thoroughly examined my groin area and genitals. While I felt apprehensive about taking my underpants off and somewhat vulnerable standing in front of him as I was in a different environment to being in the showers at school, I was not embarrassed at being in the nude. I was really glad that my experiences at school had given me confidence about my body and taught me to look after it throughout my life.

In reply to Mark & Rob it seems to be a case of "heaven forbid" should the students have to undress in front of each other let alone take communal showers. I suppose they can just about cope with removing trousers and putting on shorts or in a lot of cases track suits.

Rob - some familiar memories there! The bouncing around inside our shorts and eventually realising that the members of the public we encountered on the way to and from the parkland where we ran were, in fact, unaware of this and not the least bit interested in 30 or so boys in nothing but short shorts. Then the sometimes very cold breeze on our chests or backs - that certainly was exhilarating. And to add another - the sound of our bare feet slapping on the pavements especially when they were wet - quite comical, thinking back now.

Dominic,no but when we were running everything used to bounce about. We did not run regularly, but it was usually when the gym was being used for exams or the teacher was invigilating or, as all three of our gym teachers taught other subjects, they had to stand in for other colleagues. During the first year or so there wasn't so much of a problem but when I reached puberty and everything got bigger,I remember my penis used to slap regularly against the inside of the top of my thigh as I ran. It must have been the fresh air up my shorts,which were the looser type and which I wore from the age of 11 until nearly 18, so as I got older and bigger they got shorter; or the breeze on the bare top half of my body, which was so exhilarating as we ran through woodland and over hillsides. Fortunately, I managed to contain everything and nothing ever dropped out, just a bit of bouncing!

They don't even perspire nowadays and wear tracksuit bottoms and polo shirts in the gym and put on a tracksuit top when they go outside in case they get cold! Not like in in our days when we wore nothing more than a pair of shorts in the gym and were worked hard so that the sweat was running down,literally from top to toe.We felt really great after a session in the gym and looked forward to getting in the showers afterwards. Today,boys are seen walking home from school in their football kit, presumably to shower at home.