The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-24
ALASKAN INDIANS
 DYING OFF
Pulmonary Tuberculosis the Principal
 Disease Among Them

No Indians in Alaska at all will be
 left in two or three generations un- less the Government at once takes
 vigorous measures to check the dis
 ease among them. This is in sub-
 stance the statement made in a re-
 port by pr. M. H. Foster, Passed As
 sistant Surgeon in the Public Health and Marine Hospital services. who
 was sent on special detail to make a
 survey of the health conditions of
 Southern Alaska. The survey was which has general supervision of Alaska natives, and as a result of 1t an estimate for an appropriation of $7O. 900 for additional medical work gress.
 pr. Foster discusses the decrease in the native population of Alaska as follows:
 owing to the usual lack of vital statistics in a pioneer country such as this, the exact facts on which to base an opinion have never been avail able and most of the statements ka accurate records have been kept by the churches, and they show that for a period of five years and seven months the annual birth rate has been 72.3 per thousand the annual death rate S5.4 per thousand. During this period, with an estimated population of 400. there were 29 more deaths than births.
 'The returns of the United States Census Bureau show that in the last 10 years there has been a decrease in the total Indian population approx imately equal to 14 percent Or 1 1-2 very closely to the rates as figured at Sitka, and they may be taken as indicating fairly correctly the rates for the whole country. The death rate in the United States varies from Or 8 per thousand to 35 per thou sand, depneding upon the locality. An average death rate may be placed at 22 to 23 per thousand.
 ''The very unusual mortality in Alaska i. e., S5.4 per thousand, is to be attributed largely to pulmonary tuberculosis. and unless it is check ed in some way it will result in the extinction of the natives in 60 or 70 years. Fortunately, 1t is enumerated to certain extent by an unusually large birth rate, but the birth rate will probably decrease as times goes on" i
 In accordance with these findings. Dr. Fosters recommendations include the establishment of a tuberculosis sanitarium, provision for which is made in the appropriation bill which the Bureau of Education now has be- . fore Congress. Conservative estimates put the proportion of natives suffer ing from some form of tubercular trouble at from thirty to fifty percent This is in addition to some IS percent who have diseases of the eye and an large percentage of suffer CTS from specific blood poisoning or allied diseases. Without medical at. tention, natives mingling with the whites furnish an element of consid- erable danger to the entire popula> tion of Alaska.
 The need for a hospital is emphasiz- ed by Dr. Foster, who reports
 "Under present conditions the In- dian can not be effectively treated in his own home except for a few minor complaints. Every physician of ex- perience in Alaska states that they will not carry out instructions or take medicine as directed. If the drug is palatable or they can feel its effects, they are very likely to take it all at one dose If 1t is distasteful or if no immediate results follow. they take it a few times and then stop.
 "I know of case where a physi> elan was called in to see a native i'll with pneumonia. He left some strych- nine tablets with explicit directions hours The brother of the sick man despite directions: reasoning that if one was good, more were better, gave the entire supply at one time, and the man died in few hours.
 While 1t is not known that the stychnine was the cause of his death. it is very evident from such an occur renee that they can not be trusted really i'll, he requires hospital care. and more good can be accomplished by taking three or four into hos pital than by attempting to treat large number in their village. .s'
 In addition to a sanitarium for con- and a home for destitute blind and crippled natives. the esti, mate of appropriation of S7O.OOO now before Congress also contemplates ad- 1itional doctors and nurses. as we'll as new hospitals for surgical opera tions and serious diseases other than 
 WANT ADS. CENT A WORD. l