Page:Labour and childhood.djvu/188

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162
LABOUR AND CHILDHOOD

healthy children are passing rapidly through certain stages of growth, and that in the course of time the contrast presented by them to the under-nourished and undergrown gets more and more marked.[1] Never again will they have to attempt to make all toe the same line!

The Wiesbaden school doctors make a further examination of children in the third year of their school life—yet another in the fifth year. Finally, in the eighth and last year, just before the child leaves school, there is a final examination. The doctor has by this time his health card during school life before him. He has had opportunities of watching his progress, and has the teachers' report to help him. Thus he is more or less in a position to give advice to the parents which should be of use to them in choosing his future trade or career in life. And to do this is his parting service to pupil and parent.

But these great bi- and tri-ennial examinations are not the only occasions when the school doctor makes his rounds. Over and above them he has what are called his speech or consultation hours (Sprechstunde)

  1. This is very well illustrated in Dr. Arkell's figures. It is seen in the health sheets and records kept by school doctors in all lands—and is quite as noticeable, according to the reports, in Japan as in England.