398 REPOET— 1891. 



the way is ready for hygiene and sanitation to receive a 

 share of attention. Independently, however, of the fact just 

 pointed out, that the elementary subjects of physiology, 

 chemistry, and physics are already taught in our national 

 schools, there is the broader fact to be remembered that early 

 years form the only period of receptivity to the masses. The 

 vast majority of men do not pass much beyond the stage of 

 early manhood before the channels of access to their under- 

 standing become practically closed, and as middle life is 

 reached the numbers who are found capable of accepting 

 fresh or larger views of any question like sanitation are few 

 indeed. The knowledge must be imparted to the young, and 

 in as practical and every-day character as it is possible to 

 make it. 



While preparing this paper, I comnmnicated with Mr. 

 Hartley, the Inspector-General of Schools in South Australia 

 — a gentleman, I may say, fully alive to the progress of public 

 opinion as well as education. As he is at present one of an 

 intercolonial committee preparing a series of school-books for 

 common use, I deemed it advisable to suggest to him the 

 desirableness of incorporating a series of lessons on hygiene 

 and sanitation in the new series. He communicated the sug- 

 gestion to the head of the Education Department in Victoria, 

 when it was found that the suggestion had been anticipated, 

 and Victoria had entered upon the preparation of a school- 

 book on the subject. The scope of that book, which will be 

 issued to the public schools of Victoria in a few nionths, maybe 

 seen by the following headings of chapters which it discusses : 

 (1) Introductory chapter ; (2) Air ; (3) Food ; (4) Drink ; 

 (5) Clothing ; (6) Dwelhngs ; (7) Water ; (8) Exercise, rest, 

 recreation ; (10) Violation of the laws of health ; (11) Ambu- 

 lance. This outline is admirable, and evidently, while the 

 treatise may be fitted to be a textbook to the most ad- 

 vanced pupils, much of it may be imparted to the younger 

 children. 



In my original communication with the Inspector-General 

 of Schools in South /Australia, I submitted, at his request, an 

 outline of elementary lessons, which he would in all proba- 

 bility have adopted had the Victorian Education Department 

 not already entered the field. The lessons were divided into 

 six chapters, with a series of subsections. 



Lesson I. 



Hygiene. — Its meaning. Care of the person : (1) Skin, phy- 

 siology ; (2) baths ; (3) care of the mouth, hands, hair, &c. ; 

 (4) clothing ; (5) clothing and infection ; (6) disinfection ; (7) 

 exercise, rest, recreation. 



