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every case they find, but they may continue to treat the patient themselves
if they wish to do so. Also, from every child born in the borough a Wasserman
blood test is taken, and if a positive reaction is obtained the mother and child
are notifiable cases.
"Later, we visited Grienstrasse School, which is a model school built on a
new Housing Estate. This School is run by a Parents' Council, and the aim
of the Teaching Staff is to maintain good relations between home and school,
and to provide an atmosphere in the school as much like home as possible. The
class rooms are fitted with chairs and tables graded in size, instead of desks,
and special workrooms for practical work are fitted up. To these rooms the
children return voluntarily in the afternoons and evenings for practical
instruction and recreation. A Kindergarten is attached for children under
school age.
"In Germany generally, Kindergarten Schools and Day Nurseries are
largely made use of by mothers wishing to leave their children, whilst out as
work, or when shopping, or during the time spent in the laundry. In the new
Housing Estates a Kindergarten and a Central Laundry are arranged in every
block of flats.
"In Lichtenberg, where slum dwellers are being re-housed, every house it
so arranged that it faces south or west, and the rent is stationary for families
with more than four children—thus avoiding overcrowding. Open-air river
baths are provided on an area of 30,000 square yards of river bank, and there
are facilities for 12,000 people to undress. We visited these baths between
10 and 11 a.m. on Saturday (31st May) and hundreds of people were either
bathing or taking sun baths on the banks.
"Swimming is compulsory in elementary schools throughout Germany,
and everywhere possible Open-air Pools are provided and large numbers of people
take advantage of them. Men and women in employment usually pay about 2d.,
unemployed and children are free.
"Convalescent Homes for men, women and children are provided by the
State or Municipality in every part of Germany. Jena, a town of 15,500
inhabitants, has 39 small convalescent homes for children alone. Some of these
houses have, in the first instance, been given by philanthropists, some are simple
structures of wood taking 12 to 40 children. All are in charge of a Matron with
a Kindergarten Staff, and a doctor visits and examines all children once weekly
or at any other time deemed necessary by the Matron.
"We were interested here to see the Marl Zeiss Public Library, which gives
reading and studying facilities to the working classes for a very small subscription.
No limit is placed on educational books borrowed, but a small amount has to be
paid if more than one novel is taken out within a month. In Dresden we visited
the International Health Exhibition and the Museum of Hygiene. This
Exhibition dealt with every aspect of health and we wished we could transport
many exhibits to Shoreditch. At Dresden, also, we visited a Convalescent Home