e in the infant department by the total abolition of sewing,
which is definitely hurtful to such young eyes, and the
substitution of competitive games involving the recognition of
small objects at a distance of 20 feet or more.

"Teachers can determine the visual acuteness, but they cannot
decide whether or not an ocular defect is present.

"Visual acuteness, especially among poor children, is variable at
different times.

"Teachers should have access to sight-testing materials at all
times, and should have the opportunity of referring suspected cases
for medical opinion.

"An annual testing by the teachers, followed by medical inspection
of the children found defective, would soon cause all existing
defects to be corrected, and would lead to the detection of those
which develop during school life."

An examination of 502 children attending the Church of Scotland Training
College School, Glasgow, as regards defects in eyesight and hearing, was
made by Drs. Rowan and Fullerton respectively, with the following
results:--

"As regards eyesight--

"61.55 per cent. were passed as normal, while of those defective
7.57 were aware of the fact; some few of these had already received
treatment, but 30.88 were quite unaware that there was anything
wrong, these unfortunates being expected to do the same work as,
and hold their own with, their more fortunate classmates.

"As regards hearing--
54.4 per cent. were found normal.
27.6 " " were defective.
18. " " were distinctly defective."

I append the very valuable suggestions and conclusions of Dr.
Rowan, who conducted the examination on the eyesight of children:--

"After examining 502 children, which involved the examination of
1004 eyes, one is forced to certain conclusions. These children are
taken at random, and in this way they may be considered as a fair
sample of their age and class.

"I think one of the first things that force themselves on our
notice is the difficulties under which many of those children
labour, and of which they, their parents and teachers are quite
unaware. The children are considered dull, careless, or lazy, as
the case may be: they themselves, poor unfortunates, do not know
how to complain, and seem just to struggle along as best they can,