The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-02
esyages of Smallpox in the Col
vile Reservation.
eournERn PORTION INFECTED.
~s.s.w Town OF Republic Has Put
oct IN Armed Picket Guarding
rvery Trail From the south, to
pvevent the Spread of the Disease
-UaIess Soon Checked, the Section
- Likely to BE Depopulated.

ars,,rox is epidemic in the Colvilie res
..vssto,,. The mining town Of Republic,
g ~ northern portion OF the reservation.
-. out an armed picket line out guard
- every trail leading from the south. for
4. s,,rpose OF preventing infected Indians
,,srcs and spreading the disease
..srre and spreading the disease.
Ths conditions among the indians In the
,sfcctsd district are appalling. Despite
~ heroic efforts OF the physician. a dozen
- said TO be dying every day. The great
MsYculty experienced by the authorities
4 II Keeping them within the confines
Il no quarantine,
ynhn Mcmillan. well-known mining
.ssr who has Just come from Republic.
"a At the Northern last night: There Is
- smallpox at Republic or Colville City.
ma disease In among the Indians in the
.cutkefn part of the reservation. Bucks
sauaNp and pappooses are dying ten and
scolve every day, and there seems little
None OF stamping out the disease.
III simply means death for an Indian
"A attempt TO force his way to the north
ffom the stricken district. Several have
sftempted IT, but were turned back after
toSking down the barrel OF winchester.
There are 100 Indians on the reserva-
tiun. OF these. 800 are scattered through
hundred are In the southern section, and
II h among these that the disease 10 so
nd when | left home l was informed
there were In all about seventy cases. IN
Iep there is a check soon there Is every
probabity that the district will be de-
populated Of Indians.
Cant Cope with II.
THE authorities are unable to cope with
the epidemic. although the corps Of
physicans has been increased. The great
roubIe In that the Indians win not submit
ii rnedlca, treatment. On tho approach
Of physician their first instinct is TO
run away SO /. is that there is great
Danger OF the disease spreading from the
present quarters among the remainder OF
tAe tribe and injecting the whole reser-
milton. The citizens guard In doing all
IN IL power TO prevent this. and Agent
Armstrong, II In the East urging the
department. to furnish a military guard
which. in case there Is not check soon.
viii surely be done
Although death Is staring the southern
cslville Indians in the face. and they see
many dying every day. they still stick to
the wickups as cure-all. In fact, II
might be said that no cures at all so far
have been effected among them.
The first symptom OF sickness Is a Sig
nal for a wickiup treatment. The wickiup
Il small oval shaped dug-out covered
with skins. They are all built on the hank
81 q river Inside are placed heated stones
Tho patient IL brought forth by the medi-
cine men and compelled to crawl through
ne narrow doorway inside. Then a buck
elfu OF water IL thrown on the stones.
which causes steam to rise. A heavy
skin n drawn over the door. and the pa
IA L. t.f -
Then he IL brought out and thrown into
he cold stream. This Is the treatment for
al diseases with the Colville indiana,
and, white used In the present infection,
has always proven fatal.
Insist on using wickiups.
The medical corps is trying hard TO
prevent its use, and has destroyed many
xickiups but they arc Immediately rebuilt
liaues to spread. Whiio Its form Ia said
net 10 be the most virulent. the NTH that
kways surrounds a Colville Indian pre-
eades recovery when once stricken.
The physicians have done all In their
power 10 show the Indians that smallpox
vi kill them all unless they take white
mans medicine, but II Is almost true TO
az that without exception they refuse TO
heiievs It.
All kinds OF ruses are adopted to get
away from the infected portion. Some go
q night. others claim to be the bearers
o. important messages 10 the north, but
none has yet succeeded In passing the
Picket or gaining an entrance
They have learned 10 fear and dread the
ssessr. but not 10 such an extent as 10
secept medical treatment II Is the gem
srai belief that IL the present death rate
xetps UP II win only he a few weeks until
What Il left Of the colville Indians viii
q represented by the bands living In the
central and northern portions OF the res
sfsaiion
We are not allowing any Indians TO
seme around Republic. whether they are
uem The north. central or southern por.
Ven The time has come now when no