The attention which Great Britain is paying to its national health is demonstrated by the report in another column of the various schemes which come into operation during the course of the current year. In one of them upwards of a million boys and girls, leaving school, and being under 16 years of age did not come under the health insurance scheme, will become eligible for medical benefit, thus removing the hiatus which formerly existed between the time of leaving school and reaching the age mentioned. It is still something of a reproach that children should have to be put to work so early, and it is to be hoped that the time will come when children will start work somewhat later in life than is at present provided for. The fight against maternal mortality is still being carried on and during this year^a new midwifery service will be established as the result of which no mother, no matter what her circumstances, need be without the benefit of expert assistance. Parliament is expected to pass a bill providing old age pensions for the blind at the age of forty instead of fifty years as at present, while financial assistance given to blind people in their homes will be rendered under the Blind Persons Act and not under the Poor Law. thereby removing any taint of pauperism which might have been felt to exist, The readiness with which blackcoated workers have responded to the insurance scheme devised in their behalf is also a promising development and while much has still to be done along similar lines, the fact that progress is being made, despite other national preoccupations is a matter for congratulation. When to all this is added the schemes for bringing about a greater degree of national fitness, it will be realized that Britain is marching abreast with the other nations who have embarked upon similar programmes. Much has still to be done, but there is every indication that in the course of a generation or so the country will reap the benefit of the preparatory work which is now being done.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.