Page:Labour and childhood.djvu/178

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
152
LABOUR AND CHILDHOOD

in every land, it seems, on almost the same grounds, but it is noticeable that the Germans, though frugal, never raised the bugbear of expense. They knew, from the first, that if school doctoring was worth anything it would be worth a great deal. They knew, as every one knows who watches the exchequer, that disease is very costly indeed. And they held back only in order to make sure of their ground! At last, in 1891, Leipzic took the plunge, and engaged the first German school doctor. In 1893 Dresden followed her example. As a matter of fact Germany was not then more forward than England, for in 1891 the London School Board engaged its first school doctor, and in 1893, at Bradford, Dr. Kerr entered on his half time duties as medical adviser of the School Board of that city.

Germany then was not at that time in the van. On the contrary, she was in the rear of many nations, and in line only with England. It would seem also that, in spite of the teachings of Cohn, and of other pioneers, she had not followed very closely the work of physicians and medical teachers (such as Séguin) in other lands, for the ideas in vogue in Germany as to what a school doctor's duties should be were still very vague. It was supposed that he should begin by inspecting school buildings. And a very