69 
from mixing with others, prematurely, in our elementary schools. 
We are only very slowly growing out of the fvolish idea that 
sooner or later these disorders are sure to attack each and every 
member of the human family. True, inoculation and vaccination 
in order to prevent (?) smallpox, have for a long time helped to 
keep alive this old world notion, and hindered to some extent a 
firm and trustworthy reliance on sanitation; but the axe is at 
length being laid at the root of each of these disorders—viz., 
insanitary surroundings and conditions. The strong arm of the 
law ought to be brought into exercise against greedy parents and 
over zealous school managers, who between them are prepared 
to risk the health and even lives of the children under their care, 
for the money value of half-time wages or the securing of 
ne plus ultra school grants. The keystone of civilisation is the 
sanctity of human life. Plato in Athens, or the elder Cato in 
Rome, would have made short work of disease treatment, and 
the alteration in usage of the feeble and sick since their times, 
marks an immeasurable advance upon ancient ethics. But the 
extreme care with which we strive to prolong lives (useless, and 
in some cases even dangerous to the community), ought assuredly 
to give to society a restraining right in return. Society can 
claim from the individual thus benefitted by its watchful kind- 
ness implicit obedience to the dictates of reason, not only while 
the patient is under treatment, but until all danger of contagion 
has passed away. When we take into consideration the far- 
reaching consequences of thoughtless, if not criminal indulgence, 
the interests of society quite outweigh individual self-gratification 
in cases of constitutional or acquired diseases. The community 
ought, however, to provide suitable occupations and homes for 
these unfortunates. If dipsomaniacs, imbeciles, and the insane 
are rightly put under restraint, how much the more should 
people whose liberty causes havoc now and hereafter, be placed 
under strict control. Plato, so it is said, founded his system of 
ethics in ‘‘ the tendency towards perfection.’’ In like manner 
we base our plea for interference with the liberty of the subject— 
or license rather—upon the necessity for pressing forward 
towards a higher plane of life. 
Montaigne slily remarks that ‘“ the sick man who has his cure 
in his sleeve ought not to be lamented.” This argument applies 
to communities as well as to individuals. 
Allow me for a minute or two to try to focus the foregoing 
remarks. Every one will admit that in comparison with the 
numerous regenerating agencies at work—all too frequently 
resembling so many Dame Partingtons resolutely determined 
upon resisting the encroachments of the mighty Atlantic by 
means of a broom—the social progress registered is disappoint- 
ingly small, This sorrowful fact holds especially good with 
