, if need be, lay down their lives for them?
Are you aware, again, of the vast amount of disease which, so both wise
mothers and wise doctors assure me, is engendered in the sleeping-room
from simple ignorance of the laws of ventilation, and in the school-room
likewise, from simple ignorance of the laws of physiology? from an
ignorance of which I shall mention no other case here save one--that too
often from ignorance of signs of approaching disease, a child is punished
for what is called idleness, listlessness, wilfulness, sulkiness; and
punished, too, in the unwisest way--by an increase of tasks and
confinement to the house, thus overtasking still more a brain already
overtasked, and depressing still more, by robbing it of oxygen and of
exercise, a system already depressed? Are you aware, I ask again, of all
this? I speak earnestly upon this point, because I speak with
experience. As a single instance: a medical man, a friend of mine,
passing by his own school-room, heard one of his own little girls
screaming and crying, and went in. The governess, an excellent woman,
but wholly ignorant of the laws of physiology, complained that the child
had of late become obstinate and would not learn; and that therefore she
must punish her by keeping her indoors over the unlearnt lessons. The
father, who knew that the child was usually a very good one, looked at
her carefully for a little while; sent her out of the school-room; and
then said, "That child must not open a book for a month." "If I had not
acted so," he said to me, "I should have had that child dead of brain-
disease within the year."

Now, in the face of such facts as these, is it too much to ask of
mothers, sisters, aunts, nurses, governesses--all who may be occupied in
the care of children, especially of girls--that they should study thrift
of human health and human life, by studying somewhat the laws of life and
health? There are books--I may say a whole literature of books--written
by scientific doctors on these matters, which are in my mind far more
important to the school-room than half the trashy accomplishments, so-
called, which are expected to be known by governesses. But are they
bought? Are they even to be bought, from most country booksellers? Ah,
for a little knowledge of the laws to the neglect of which is owing so
much fearful disease, which, if it does not produce immediate death, too
often leaves the constitution impaired for years to come.