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V.
authority was prepared to treat them, and that this would lead to enormous
expense. So it probably would, if there was any such intention, but my
suggestions contained nothing of the sort, and treatment was never in any
way part of the scheme. I have already gone fully into this question, both
before the Education Committee and elsewhere, but I should like to take
this opportunity to state clearly what I think to be the right view of the
matter.
Untreated defects or ailments in children may be due to one or more of
three causes :—
1. Ignorance of the existence of such ailment or defect.
2. Want of knowledge that these ailments or defects may increase
and become a serious handicap to the child in later life if not treated
in time.
3. Neglect in obtaining proper medical advice.
I intentionally exclude poverty from my list of causes, though I am
aware that it is an apparent cause that many would place first. Want of
means to pay for medical attendance or advice is no excuse in this country
for failing to obtain them for any child in need of them. Even if the parent
should hesitate to apply to the Poor Law Guardians, there are out-patient
departments at nearly all hospitals where skilled advice can be had for the
asking, and in addition there are many charitable societies and parish organisations
that exist to help the poor to obtain for themselves and their children
any surgical apparatus that may be ordered by a doctor. As a matter of
fact no serious surgical case would ever be likely to come under the notice
of a School Doctor, for it would have already been obvious to the untrained
parent. Hospital experience teaches that the great majority of parents of
the poorest class eagerly avail themselves of all the medical help they can
get for the treatment of such of their children's diseases as they can detect.
Practically the Only thing that systematic inspection of the School children
would reveal that had not already been noticed, and that required surgical
apparatus would be defects of eyesight necessitating the use of spectacles.
My first class is the one to which I attach by far the most importance,
and I base this opinion on a not inconsiderable experience of medical work
amongst the poor.