ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. V 



laws of health are now attracting to an unusual extent the attention 

 both of the public and of the British Government. The classified 

 records of deaths and their causes, which have of late years been 

 kept by the Registrar-General, led to the discovery that the rate of 

 mortality varied greatly in different localities, so much so that the 

 deaths in some places exceeded by ten, twenty, thirty, and even forty 

 per cent, the number in others, and it was found, on investigation, 

 that the causes of such excess were easily removable by the applica- 

 tion of obvious and natural means. A sanitary commission was there- 

 fore appointed to consider the application of these means, which con- 

 sist of draining, ventilation, warmth, habits of cleanliness, and tem- 

 perance, and so forth ; and year after year the reports of this commis- 

 sion repeated that the application" of such means was obstructed and 

 all efforts rendered nugatory by the prevalent ignorance among 

 all classes of the natural conditions of health, an ignorance which 

 prevented the advantages of sanitary measures from being either 

 understood or appreciated. The Government was, therefore, ad- 

 vised to introduce physiology into the common schools of the country, 

 and a remarkable paper was drawn up and signed by sixty-five of the 

 leading physicians and surgeons of London, including the principal 

 teachers of anatomy and physiology, in which are the following 

 words : ' We are therefore of opinion that it would greatly tend to 

 prevent sickness, and to promote soundness of body and mind, were 

 the elements of physiology in its application to the preservation of 

 health made a part of general education.' And here I may refer to 

 the example of America. In no State has the educational system 

 been more carefully or successfully matured than in Massachusetts, 

 and among the general laws of public instruction passed by the Legis- 

 lature of that State is an 'Act requiring physiology to be taught in 

 the public schools.' The Committee of Council on Education in 

 Great Britian have cooperated with the Board of Trade in the 

 endeavor to introduce physiology into our schools, and a system of 

 instruction has been devised, which has been described by high 

 authority as ' sound and scientific in its basis and character, although 

 limited in extent and popular in expression.' Now if a better knowl- 

 edge of the laws of health is desirable for all classes, surely it is most 

 desirable for those who are engaged in manufactures and occupations 

 which are too likely to affect health injuriously. If health is essen- 

 tial to the happiness and enjoyment of all men, how much is the 

 importance of that blessing increased in the case of the man who is 

 dependent, not only for enjoyment and happiness, but for the main- 

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