New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-19
ESQUIMAUS OF LABRADOR.
Their Number Steadily Decreasing
from RaUages of Disease.

Nantune the Newfoundland sealship which conveyed
the Canadian official expedition to Hudson Bay In
the summer Of 1908. and recently returned here.
after spending nine months winter on its Arctic
fringe bring a grewsome account of the wlplnS out
of whole tribe Of Innuits in that region from
Soma unknown disease that is supposed to be
tvnhoid Dr. Grenfel. chief of the Deep Sea Mis-
sion. which operates Labrador. has just got back
here from his final cruise along the coast and sup
Elements this recital with the facts of similar
outbreak among the Esquimaus of the Moravian
settlements. forty-two perishng at okak alone.
The Esquimaus OF Labrador are of two classes
the pagan tribes west of Cape Chidey. and settled
on the shores of Hudson Strait and Bay. and the
Christian tribes the Atlantic seaboard. among
whom the Moravian missionaries have been laboring
for two hundred years. The tribe reported by the
Neptune as having been annihiated was of tho
former class. and numbered about one hundred and
fifty; the victims OF the outbreak related by DR..
Grenfen are of the latter group. and because OF
their more general contact with whites they are
more frequently visited by these and other out
breaks The result is that of late years they are
rapidly dying out. In 1881 the census showed them
TO number $780, in 1881 they were reduced to 2,loo
their total in 1901 only 1859. In the opinion OF
every competent authority they a decaying
race and O few decades more will see them struck
from the roster of the worlds peoples despite all
efforts Of phnanthropists to arrest their decline.
Respecting the epidemic in Hudson Bay little
can be learned but regards the one at Okak
tho facts are clear. The disease worked its way
up the coast. and was only partially COPIED with by
the mission doctors among the whites. while among
the EsQuimaus it ragged unchecked. The Moravian
preachers have no medical knowledge. and never
had a hospital or surgeon there till this summer;
but he came too late to be of much effect During
thirty days before DR.. Grenfen reached the scene
thirty-four patients died, and his first task with
his mission yacht to tow bargeload of ten
collins to n common grave at the head Of the inlet.
a sequence more proper to bloody battle than to
a summer sickness in the Northern wilds. Tho
disease was so malignan! that some cases proved
fatal in three days. and others at the point
of similar issue when he came away. Nor were
the deaths confined to the young the in1En-
The strongest suffered much as any. The raw
ages of the disease were accumulated by the VIC
tins being stricken first while at their fishing
places. with only scaut clothing and cold damp
tents. For though the ship started September
10. she winter settling in, with six inches of
snow or the ground and the hills almost white
as In January. The Moravan Brethren had worked
themselves to the verge OF collapse In their efforts
TO stay the plague ard their doctor, who had just
from England in their supply ship, had not
had time to establish little hospital. and had to
treat the patients where he found them. DIR. Gren-
fell proved a great help to him. and they rescued
several unfortunate5 from the slush in badly
pitched tents. and got them into an Improvised
lazaretto. in comfortable beds and with clearly
surroundings. saving them from the death certain
to be their portion If exposed TO the chill blasts
and wet snow.
WHAT CAUSED DISEASE TO SPREAD.
a
northern post of the Moravians. in the winter of
1898, when fewer than ninety-four persons per-
ished, and there medical aid whatever for
the brethren had no doctor then and the mission
doctor, who wintered far south. had not been able
10 reach them. owing to the severity of the
The few white settlers had also suffered and
heroic woman, the wife of leading resident. had
succumbed after a noble effort save others. Her
self just recovering from attack caused by tend
ing the stricken natives, she actually took into her
%sr6 r-;y,-lo %is
their four children very i'll from it. Unfortu-
nately, not understanding the nature of the dis
ease the only window had been permanently closed,
and all six haU been crowded into the room.
| unable to feed themselves. She had patienty
attended to all their wants until she sicker9d again
and died, three others of the six meeting the
| fate, Among the natives whole families had died
! in some cases. and the others unable to to get
| hrewood. had helped the wiping out OF the land
marks by burning their houses for fuel. Even
after q fary had been annihilated. another had in
several cases gone place just it had been
| left and up to the next August when the mission
| yacht reached there. cleansing disinfecting
had been attempted. At times during the winter they
| had twenty-five bodies lying frozen in the little
| deadhouse for want OF healthy to break into
the finty ground construct rough collins for
those who had persisted Fully $50 Esquimaus had
| been attacked bv the disease while it ragged. and
the heavy death roll due to their ignorance of
| the most elementary methods of sanitation.
At this time the disease spread TO a lesser settle
! ment named Baksh. near Main. being conveyed
! here by the only two who had visited Main
! during the spring. and by them it spread
! through their household and the village whole
! Here over thirty persisted, a fact not surprising
| when it is remembered that no preacher resides
there and that the Esqunlau though Christian. Is
| a very unceanly one. and further scamps the es-
sentials of sanitation when the missionary is not
| at hand. All goods. beds, foods and utensils
held in common. washing is at discount. the huts
are never ventilated. and. moreover. the Esquimau
| will never lie down and rest He must be moving
about always and If at all able to get his feet
viii make for the outside of his hut to sit down.
Hence the special tendency of typhoid fever to
lapse has proved especially fatal TO these wretched
| people at all times, for the doctors have found
| many cases where the having apparently got
| better and returned to work were stricken down
| again and taken off with appalling suddenness In
some instances they have died swiftly OF perfora-
ton OF the bowels. being unconscious of the risk
they ran in attempting any sudden exertion and
the doctors and brethren have started regular
| fresh air. campaigns, collecting the people
every settlement nightly, explaining the nature of
the disease. the method of its spreading and the
precautions to be taken, that they hope long
to have communities OF Esquimaus who will wash
themselves, exercise sanitary precautions. drink
water elsewhere than from where they wash their
clothes and lie down and remain still when they
are stricken with serious ailments of this and
other nature.
PAGAN ESQUIMAUS' CUSTOMS.
The EsQuimaus are a strange people and north
toward Hudson Strait. where some of tho Ungava
tribes cross over and intermingle with the Others
an occasional pagan family will be found the head
Of it possessing two three wives The mission
doctors last year had as patient whose
husband had been stranEled by her brother and
another man at her express desire because of some
domestic disagreement. In another case a few
years ago. the chief of the tribe being regarded as
q dangerous by some sub-chefs they con