EFFECT OF EDUCATIONAL REGULATIONS ON PHYSIQUE. 791 
children under five years of age has been adduced in support of this. 
It must be admitted that the proportion of deaths of children in this 
colony does not compare as favourably as could be desired with many 
other parts of the world. The highest death-rate appears in the 
Kennedy district/* In the list of nine districts tabulated 1 find that 
Townsville ranks next to Kennedy. For 1890 he says, “ The highest 
death-rate to the total deaths in each district appears in the Kennedy 
district,” again Townsville comes next. In 1891, “ It appears that 
the greatest number of deaths occurred in the first and fourth quarters 
of the year, but the deaths which occurred during the first quarter 
were the most numerous. This has been generally the case in previous 
years, no doubt the warm summer months contributing somewhat to 
the number of deaths, particularly amongst children. ” 
Under his five years’ table, he there states, “ From this it will be 
seen that the highest rate of deaths of children, both under two and 
under five years of age, to the total deaths in this district and colony 
occurred in Kennedy, in which district the town of Charters Towers is 
situated. Townsville, though much behind, comes next.** 
In 1892, he says, “ As is usually the case in the second and third 
quarters, the number of deaths registered was not so great. It will 
be seen that as in 1892, so also in the previous year, the greatest 
number of deaths was registered in the first and fourth quarters. 
The heat of the weather at that period in this colony has no doubt a 
great influence on the degree of mortality, especially amongst very 
young children.’ * 
Of 1893 the Registrar-General writes: “The quarter of the year 
which includes the months of July, August, and September is 
evidently the most favourable to a reduced rate of mortality in 
Queensland. The first and fourth quarters in which great heat is 
experienced are just the opposite. The large proportion of Queens- 
landers who die affords an illustration of the extent of the loss to the 
population which occurs amongst the most youthful portion of the 
native-born, and which it is certain is for the most part preventable. 
The extreme heat of the summer months in this colony, especially in 
the North, is somewhat tryiug to young children. Thus in Kennedy, 
of which Charters Towers is the chief town, almost half of the deaths 
are of children under two years of age, and 55*71 percent, did not 
reach five years. Townsville comes next.” 
The unprejudiced man of figures, then, has proved for us that the 
hot months are destructive of young life, and that the districts where 
the heat is hottest and lasts the longest have the highest death-rate. 
And of those who escape I may here refer to a nervousness — a 
high state of tension — that is very evident amongst them 
I addressed myself to the head teachers of the different schools 
in North Queensland, asking for information which would enable me 
to compare North Queensland chest measurements with an accepted 
home standard. 
Most of the teachers on the coast responded. I did not have a 
sufficient number of replies from the interior to be of much value. 
But of the interior we have at Herberton only au exceptional elevation, 
and even of recognised hill stations an authority says, “Although such 
a climate would at first sight appear to offer an environment within 
the tropics suitable to acclimatisation of the Northern races, there are 
