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46
without assistance to undertake the work of systematically
examining the eyes, ears, and throats of children, and yet this is
very important, for defects in the sight or hearing, or the presence
of adenoids in the throat, prevent the child obtaining the benefit
it otherwise would derive from school attendance, and such defects
also handicap the teachers in their efforts.
The aim of school hygiene is to improve educational results,
by discovering and remedying any defects which prevent a child
getting full value for the money spent on it. To thoroughly
examine the enormous number of children in our schools would
occupy almost the whole of my time, and is therefore impracticable.
It is, however, very desirable that this should be done. It
would be of incalculable benefit to the children, it would
materially help the teachers, and would also be of very great
assistance in checking infectious disease, for cases would be
promptly discovered and isolated.
As children are a National asset, it should be a National
care to see that the children are rendered of the utmost value.
More help, therefore, should undoubtedly be forthcoming,
from National sources, to assist a district with such a heavy
educational burden as ours. I therefore hope that some assistance
will soon be given, and so enable this necessary and important work
to be done.