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Over a hundred years ago the Swedish educator Ellen Kay wrote a book entitled
The Century of Children. These weren’t just a chance title and dedication, but
reflected one of the final phases of a process of revaluation of childhood in
which we still find ourselves. This is in contrast to the famous sentence of
Michel de Montaigne who, referring to child mortality, without clarifying any
further wrote “ j’en ai perdu deux ou trois en nourrice ”. It contrasts
also with earlier times when infant life had apparently scarce importance for
the rest of society and for doctors.
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