The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-29
TO CHECK SMALLPOX.
Fumigntion Ever Done at the
TamA Reservation.
Especial Correspondence.l

sary on account of the prevalence in
that camp for two years of virulent
smallpox, which finally ran its course
last fall. More than As Indians died
and are buried upon the reservation.
So thoroughly were the tents, cloth
ing and property of the camp infected
with the disease germs that the state
board of health determined that
fumigation was necessary. Spring
was coming, period of the year when
the Indians become FESTIVE and leave
the reservation, following along the
rivers and streams of the state fish
ing and hunting. 1t therefore became
a matter of much moment to have the
camps and the Indians properly disin-
fected, lest they should carry the con-
tagion With them in this virulent type
about the state.
DR.. Linn conducted the work of flu
his report to the state board of health
he says:
"On March "a the work of renovation
was begun. and proved to be a contract
of large proportions. About $40 or 35C
Indians were to be supplied with new
clothing, their reed houses, infected dur
ing the prevalence of the smallpox, were
to be destroyed; their old clothing
burned, new houses were to be supplied
and wherever the contagion existed
strong disinfectants had to be used for
the purpose of destroying the germs.
I'm addition to the labor Of doing this
work considerable difficulty was met in
obtaining the consent of the Indians to
submit to the cleaning process, and be-
hind the red Indians were some white
ones who were quite willing to interfere
Gus. council of the chiefs was called
and classical Indian pow-wow was held
in the council room of the chief, Push
ie-to-nique BY means of an interpreter
very satisfactory understanding was
obtained, after each of the several coun-
cilmen had made his talk. The word of
Mocha mus-ka-ne-ne, which, being in
terpreted, means the Big White Medicine
Man, was pledged that their sacred books
and sermons, which are only taken from
their coverings at their great feasts once
or twice year. should not be subjected
to the fumes of gas, which might drive
the spirit away and offend him. Also
that no harm should come to any men,
Der of the tribe and that whatever of
their choice things could be fumigated
and disinfected should be saved for them.
While the work of fumigation was
begun, the houses of the chief and his
Immediate neighbors We're the first to be
consigned to the flames. In lieu of these
a number of board houses of the dimen-
sions of II by 16 feet were constructed
for such as wished them and to others
was issued sufficient amount of heavy
tenting material to cover the frames
from which the reed material had been
taken. The sites of all the wicllieups
where they had lived, and from which
they had removed when afflicted with the
smallpox. were thoroughly sprayed with
very strong disinfecting material. All
the old clothing (and there was abund-
ance of 1t of very little value) was con-
signed to the flames. Partly worn blank
cts were thoroughly dipped in the same
strong disinfecting solution and returned
to the Indians Material which would be
damaged by being wet was hung in a
close room and subjected to the strongest
formaldehyde gas for considerable time.
In cleaning the agency three disinfecting
agents were used, namely, fire. corrosive
Sublimite solution, one to one thousand,
and formaldehyde gas.
Every Indian on the reservation was
washed in this same solution from the
crown of his head to the sole of his foot,
after which he was supplied with new
clothing, including cap, shoes and UNDER
clothing, and the women were supplied
with their peculiar kind of dress, made
by the ladies' societies in Tama and To
ledO
Besides the Indians on the reservation,
the animals were likewise baptized The
poor dogs were captured and thoroughly
submerged in a solution of corrosive sub
Unite, almost strong enough to take the
hair Off All the Indians on the reseva-
ton We're also supplied with a new scar
let blanket of the very finest weight and
texture Besides this. large part of the
reservation on which was a considerable
coating of. leaves and grass, was burned
off.
I'm this work of fumigating and cleans
Ing the amount of material used was
very large. Two thousand, eight hundred
yards of the heaviest tenting material
We're issued to such as desired it in pref
erence to board houses. Twenty-four
houses were constructed for the Indians
on the reservation, the dimensions rang
ing from - by IA to 16 by 20 feet for the
larger families. One hundred and seventy
five suits were issued to the men, and
about $50 dresses to the women, be-
sides other clothing, Undertaking, ETC.
More than 6,0O0 gallons of strong COR
rosive sublimite fluid were used in the
process of disinfection. in spraying over
the places where the smallpox had OBJ
tained and over the graves of the small
poX Victims-also in spraying the In
terror of their summer houses and of
other places suspected of being infected.
Some 45 times the large boxes in which
We're fumigated the articles which would
be injured by being dampened We're
filled and the contents subjected to the
misunderstanding fumes of formaldehyde
gas of quadruple the strength ordinarily
used
Some few of the Indians at times were
refractory. The first day one obstreper-
GUS buck, named Black Sunfish, ran
away for the purpose of escaping the
submerSing process. An Indian police
man was provided with an order for his
arrest, the pockmarked red man brought
into the tent and given the first complete
bath he probably had had for year.
The exercise of a little wholesome au-
thority brings with it great deal of re-
spect. This fellow was then EMPLOYED
by us to assist in the renovation, and
proved an efficient helper until the work
was done. On the last day a number OF
them showed decided inclination to alb.
sent themselves, and had to be corralled
and brought into camp. An Indian is a
dlgniied man, and in his own estimation
as proud as the average white citizen.
one venerable medicine man submitted
with great reluctance to being washed
He disclaimed having had smallpox or
been near 1t. but was required like ally
the others, to be washed down and SIM