PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 597 



the central sanitary authority has mandatory as well as educa- 

 tional powers. It will be largely hampered, if not seriously 

 crippled, also, so long as the Minister of Health holds other, and, 

 to him, more important Ministerial offices, and is one of the 

 least instead of one of the most experienced and trusted members 

 of the Cabinet. 



Under the best of conditions, of course, the sanitary mlllenlum 

 will be long in coming. Defective inheritance, imperfect develop- 

 ment, incomplete evolution, ignorance and disobedience will still 

 run their course. Disease due to ignorance will probably be the 

 first to disappear, but only when all come to know and recognise 

 the laws of health. Disease due to disobedience will linger on until 

 all are willing as well as able to obey. Disease due to inheritance 

 must remain until the pendulum has swung back to its original 

 invulnerability . 



4. Finally, a great uplift might follow the issue of an authorita- 

 tive and authorized plan of compaign. The present authorities, 

 good as we know them to be, are too limited in their powers, and 

 too marked with the scars of conflict to gain complete acceptance. 



Both States and Commonwealth need, and would, I believe, 

 welcome some accredited outside guidance. They have become 

 accustomed to expect and to receive some such from different 

 sections of this great Congress. This section contains, or can 

 command the best available advice, both as regards theory and 

 practice. And any such pronouncement as it might agree upon, 

 circulated with the information of the Congress as a whole, could 

 not fail to be accepted and utilized by our rulers. Properly pre- 

 pared, such a circular note would, in my opinion, do more to 

 advance sanitation throughout the Commonwealth than any other 

 single step that can be at present taken. 



I would suggest, therefore, that the section appoint a sub-com- 

 mittee authoriz3d to take such action in this direction as seems 

 to it best. 



4.— A MODEL CLASS-ROOM. 



By Beuter E. Roth, D.S.O., M.R.C.S. Eng., Officier de ' 

 V instruction- puhliqtie. 



As a School Medical Inspector, I have been astonished to find 

 a want of uniformity in the shape, size, construction, and arrange- 

 ment of the class-room. This is even,,Mi^(^aKl|h«4^ schools sup- 

 posed to be up to date. / ■'^' "' * ' ' ' 



