has made a beginning. In 1899 the number of school doctors in Japan was 2906. But in 1903-4 the number had risen to 4941. The allowances for school doctors seem very small. The salary of the permanent medical adviser of the Government Board of Hygiene is 500 yen, or about £100. The Government grant in 1899 was only 27·20 yen per head, and in 1903 this was raised to 29·13 yen. That is to say, the government makes a grant for medical school inspection of over £32,000 per annum.
This is a small sum, and the payment made by local bodies is doubtless on the same scale. And what does medical inspection of schools in Japan consist of? It would seem that the doctors undertake many of the duties that are performed by European school doctors. They examine eyes and test vision. They measure and weigh pupils and advise as to the treatment of the diseased and defective, and they send reports to the minister of state for education who, in his turn places them before a board appointed to consider matters of school hygiene. On this board of nine members there are three doctors—that is to say there is a medical staff at headquarters. So it appears that Japan, in spite of her gentle disclaimers, is ahead of us in some respects.
