Page:Labour and childhood.djvu/211

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THE SCHOOL DOCTOR AT HOME
185

the first school doctors ever appointed in England seems to have begun at the point which the Germans are approaching, for he looked keenly at all the school work; he studied it from the distinctively physiological point of view, and others followed his example. There were various reasons why they should thus fly as if on wings to this kind of work. As a matter of fact, they could hardly attempt much of the preliminary work, important as it is! They might, of course, and did, look at buildings. They were keener on the subject of ventilation than the German.[1] But from across the Channel came the axiom, "The school doctor must not attempt treatment in any case. That is not his work. He must simply inspect, notify, and give information." That axiom came from little towns for the most part—towns where the school doctor could have an intimate conversation with nearly every parent, and where he could keep up, by circular letters at least, a regular correspondence with many towns where teacher, doctor, and parent knew one another, and were kept in touch by frequent meetings! It was fairly easy in such places to see that every child had treatment who needed it!

  1. Not, of course, that we can pretend that all our schools, or even the majority of them, are well ventilated.