The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-01-26
CBy Winfield Joues)


results are being obtained in the
campaign the Indian bureau is wag-
ing to stamp out the sale of whis-
key to the Indians and to build up
the physical conditions of the ma
tons wards.
For several years the Indian OF
flee has maintained large medical
force, located at Indian schools and
reservations throughout the twenty
six states where Indians live. This
force consists of one hundred and
titty-eight physicians and one hun
dred and fourteen nurses or field
matrons. There is maintained sixty
hospitals and sanitoria with total
capacity of 1,2lo patients. In the
last year medical supplies furnished
cost the government $4,000 and \the
total cost Of this health work was
s2GoOOO.
The Indian service in it's health
work, said Indian Commissioner val
entue. lis NOT aiming merely to
more effectively care for and cure
those that are sick. The reduction
interest 1t is working to increase the
yitaliS Of She Indian race and % es-
tablish for it new standard of
physical well-being. The principal
features of the work as it is now
organized are: First. an intensive
attack upon The two diseases that
most seriously menace the health of
the Administrations and tubercu-
losis: second, preventive work on a
large scale, by means of popular ed
uCation along health lines and more
effective sanitary Inspections: third.
increased attention to the physical
welfare of the children N the schools,
so that the physical stamina of the
coming generation may be conserved
and increased"
Systematic efforts are being made
oeducate the Indians in the schools
and on the reservations as TO the
best methods of treating and pre-.
veatiHs ,Ie spread Of = 'crculOsis,
trachoma, and other infectious and
contagious diseases 4 manual on
tuberculosis, its cause, prevention
and treatment. has been published
by the medical officers and distrib-
uted throughout the service. 4 Sc
ries of illustrated Iectures for a
travelling health exhibit are being
prepared. \ Special phFs..tl and
photographer are in the field Sc
curing photographs from winch these
stereOpticon slides and moving pie
lures can be made This exhibit
will be sent to the different schools
and reservations. One of the most
important results of this educational
work will be that it will instruct
the employees at the schools and
agencies of the Indian service as to
the methods OF preventing disease
and in this way unite the entire ser
vice in the health campaign
Increased attention IS being given
by the medical officers and officials
of the service to sanitary inspection.
1t is planned, wherever possible, TO
have a houseto-house inspection by
physician of all Indian homes on
the reservations. This will make it
possible not only to accurately learn
the extent of disease and provide
for proper treatment. but it will
also make it possible for instruc-
tiOns to be given the Indians as TO
how they may improve the sanitary
conditions of their homes and there
by prevent disease in the future The |
bureau of animal industry of the de |
partment of agriculture is now max |
ing an investigation of all the dairy |
nerds on the reservations to dis /
cover if any of the COWS are tuber- /
oular. The sanitary inspection of |
the milk supply, so far as handling
it, is also being investigated.
The medical supervisor is having /
the schools in the service systemat-
ically inspected with special atten-
ton to ventilation, disnfection. and
personal hygiene. All pupils pre-.
sented for admission to a bUardinl
school are given a thorough physic-
al examination. If a child is founG
to be affected with any disease that
would probably be made worse by
attending schools or that would en-
danger the health of other pupils he
is not admitted. Three of the res
arvations where the sreater numocr
Of day schools are located, namely,
Cheyenne River, Pine Ridge and
Rosebud, have a day-school physi-