On the Medical Aspects of Education. 
By W. G. Kemp, L.R.C.P. London, M.R.C.8. England. 
(Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 23rd August and 13th September, 1879.] 
Tnx subject that I have chosen to address you upon this evening is one of 
such immense importance, that I feel no apology is necessary from me in 
asking you to give me your attention, while I try and bring before you, as 
clearly and simply as I can, some points connected with it, that to my mind 
are not sufficiently considered by those who have the ordering of the educa- 
tion of children. I think I have not used too strong an expression when I 
say the subject is one of immense importance ; for, if we consider that the 
boys and girls growing up around us are those who will ere long become 
the parents and educators of the generation succeeding them, we cannot 
over-estimate the importance of any means that will enable them more 
perfectly to carry out the duties that will be imposed upon them. In order 
that you may, at the outset, understand the line of argument that I intend 
to follow, I have set myself to answer the following question :—* Is the 
present system of education that best calculated to improve the physical as 
well as the mental condition of our children.” I am of opinion that it is 
not, proofs of which I shall try to give you asI proceed. It seems to me 
that in the present day children are not so well off as animals, in the care 
given to their physical training ; how much time and thought are bestowed 
upon the training of horses or dogs; what care is taken that they shall have 
their proper amount of exercise, proper quality and quantity of food! Is 
similar care paid to the food and exercise of children in order to keep them 
in good health? When they are sick they have as much or more care 
bestowed upon them, but surely it were wiser to have as much forethought 
for our children as for our animals, for without that forethought how can 
we expect to keep them in such a state of health as to fit them for the keen 
competition to which they must be subjected, and also to make them physi- 
cally fit to bear the strain that will be put upon them. 
The conventional usages of modern life, in ordering the education of 
children, have a tendency to push them forward without sufficient care being 
paid to physical training, the mere acquisition of knowledge being considered 
of more importance than the healthy growth and development of the bodily 
The influences which increase the general health and strength, and 
produce strong muscles and sound limbs, are counteracted in their good 
effects by the undue pressure which is put upon the brain when it is least 
