though this struggle, without adequate result, must discourage
them, and in this indirect way, too, make their future prospects
more hopeless.

"Some would be considerably benefited by treatment and operation,
or both, while for some little can be done. Some of those who could
be benefited are deprived of help by their parents' ignorance or
prejudice.

"In the case of those for whom little or nothing can be done, and
whose sight is very defective, it seems to me the question ought to
be raised as to whether their present mode of education should not
be replaced by some other, which would endeavour to develop their
abilities in other ways than through their eyesight; in short, they
should have special training with the view of fitting them for some
form of employment for which they are more fitted than the ordinary
occupations of everyday life. This raises a difficult question, and
each case would have to be settled on its merits. The difficulty
must be faced; otherwise the children will simply drift and become
idle and useless, while, if educated, at any rate partly, on the
system for the blind, they would become useful members of society.

"I think no one, after studying the result of this examination of
what may be by some considered a small number of children, can
doubt that a thorough medical examination of all school children
should be made when they enter school, and this examination
repeated at regular intervals.

"I hold this applies not only to the children of the poor, but to
children in all ranks of life, as one constantly, and that, too, in
private practice, meets with cases where children are considered
dull and lazy, while the real fault lies with the parents, who have
not taken the trouble to ascertain the physical fitness or
unfitness of their children.

"I am glad to say it is now becoming more common for children to be
taken to the family doctor, to a specialist, or to both, to be
thoroughly overhauled before starting school-life; and in many
cases with most satisfactory results, as their training can be
modified or treatment ordered which prevents the development of
those pathological conditions which, in many cases, would limit the
choice of occupation, or, if these are already present, they can at
least be