Health Teachinc; in Schools. 313 



The West African system of health teaching is remarkable on 

 Account of the effective co-operation that exists between medical 

 officers and teachers. It is still more remai-kable for its aggressive 

 character. It is not content witli defensive measures, with mere per- 

 sonal hygiene. It takes the scholar out to reconnoitre the enemy's 

 position, shows him where disease is lurking, teaches him to assume 

 the offensive, makes him almost a specialist in disease prevention. 



India. 



In India lessees in hygiene are given in the training colleges of 

 most of the provinces. In some only, school hygiene, in the limited 

 sense of the term, is taught, the English system having been trans- 

 planted to India. In others, in Bengal and Burma, for example, the 

 lessons are wider in their scope and are adapted to local conditions. 



Continental Countries. 



Glancing for a moment at one or two continental countries, we 

 find that in France hygiene and temperance are taught in all public 

 schools. Normal schools included ; in Finland temperance is taught 

 in all public schools and also hygiene in the higher schools, while 

 Norway, Sweden and Denmark are moving along similar lines. 



South Africa. 



I have left South Afiica to the last, so that we might have data 

 by which to judge how this country compares with others, and 

 especially with the other British colonies in respect of its health 

 teaching. 



Taking first the two new colonies, we find that in the Transvaal, 

 phj^siology and school hygiene are taught in the Normal College, and 

 hygiene and temperance are beginning to be taught in the upper 

 standards. 



In Bloemfontein Normal College there is a very thorough course 

 in school hygiene. There is also provision in the code for teaching 

 hygiene in the European schools of the Orange River Colony. 



In Rhodesia hygiene, with special reference to malarial fever, is 

 included in the elementary curriculum of European schools, also in 

 native schools as far as possible. In Natal there is no special health 

 course for teacliers, but the Department instructs teachers to devote 

 half-an-hour every week to the subject in their [schools. In the Cape 

 Colony very little so far has been attempted. Physiology and hygiene 

 in relation to school life are included in the examination for the higher 

 kindergai'ten certificate. In the elementary kindergarten course the 

 subject is not included, nor in any of oi-dinary teachers' courses for 

 1st, 2nd or 3rd class certificates. 



Some ideas on health may be conveyed in connection with school 

 method. Health readers ha\e been recommended by the Department, 



