Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-03-08
indians Of Alaska are Rapidly
Decreasing In Numbers.
AID OF CONGRESS is ASKED
Or. Fosters Report Shows That Dis.
ease, Especially tuberculosis, 10
Making Great inroads Among
the Natives Of the North
western Territory.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

vi a asked congress for
an appropriation Of $4,000 for add.
uonal medical work among the natives
OF Alaska. Ever since the Indians Of
the western plains stopped going on
the war path philanthropists have
Deem at work among them seeking to
decrease the death rate and to make
the one time warriors and their
sQuaws and papooses observe the
white mans safeguard against dis
ease. The result has been that the
indians within the United States prop
er are increasing In numbers.
The Alaska Indians, however, are In
a pitiful condition Notwithstanding the
enorts Of the bureau Of education.
which has charge of the work there.
to aid them in every way. Alaska is
a long way of and the condition Of
the tribes there does not appeal to the
residents Of the United States so
strongly as does that of the Indians
who are at the doorstep. 1t Is said,
however, that congress Is likely to be-
come alive to its responsibilities and
that the condition Of the Alaska tribes
viii be materially bettered.
DR.. M. H. Foster, past assistant sur.
geon In the public health and marine
hospital service, has recently return.
ed from Alaska, where he was sent to
make a survey Of the health condi-
lions Of the country. His report has
a good deal in 1t to make Americans,
n members Of congress especially
think on the duty of this country 70
rs northwestern wards, many Of whom
are suffering physical disabilities be-
u OF the encroachment ON their
country Of the white master"
Population Rapidly %Dwindllne.
In the report Of the bureau Of edu
cation 1t is said that no Indians at all
will be left In Alaska In sixty or seven
ty years unless the government al
once takes vigorous measures to check
disease among them. DR.. Foster In
discussing the decrease in the native
population says:
owing to the usual lack Of vital sta
tistics In a pioneer country such al
this, the exact facts on which to base
an opinion have been available
and most Of the statements have beer
mere conjectures. At Sitka accurat'
rccof11y have been kept by tn
churches, and they show that for q pc
Rod Of five years and seven month";
the annual birth rate has been To-
per thousand and the annual dealt
rate 1874 per thousand. During THU
period, with an estimated population
Of 400, there we're 20 more deaths thar
births.
1.-THE returns Of the United States
ensus bureau show that In the last 1,
years there has been a decrease II
the total Indian population approx
mately equal to IA per cent. or ~
per cent. per year. This correspond
very closely to the rates as figure'
at itka, and they may be taken as In
dicating fairly correctly the rates 70
the whole country. The death rate II
the United States varies from 7 or
per thousand to 35 per thousand, dc
pending upon the locality. An aver
age death rate may be placed at % t
23 per thousand.
THE very unusual mortality In Alas
ka, 85.4 per thousand, is to be attrit
uted largely to pulmonary tubercu
losis, and unless 1t Is checked in som
way II will result in the extinction O
the natives In so or 70 years. Fol
tnnately, 1t is co~unteracted to a Gel
tain extent by an unusually larg
birth rate. but the birth rate vii
probably decrease as time goes on"
Not Easy to Treat.
Congress hae been asked to estat
lish a tuberculosis %sanitarium in Alas
ka, a provision having been made 10
It IN an appropriation bill which /
now before the law makers. There |
a touch Of humor, although 1t Is
kind of grim hurnor, In what DR.. Fol
ter has t. sag about the trouble @
rendering medical assistance to II
dams In their W homes. His word
are intended to show the necessity TO
congressional action on behalf Of
hospital to which natives who ar
seriously III a be transferred 70
treatment. In his report DR.. Foste
says:
Under present conditions the Indian
,annot be effectively treated in thel
OWN homes except for a few mino
complaints. Every physician of g,
perience in Alaska states that the
will not carry out instructions or tax
medicine as directed. II the drug
palatable or they can feel It's effect
they are very likely to take It all
one dose. II 1t is distasteful or II n
immediate results follow. they take
a few times and then stop.
II know OF a case where a phys
clan was called In to see a native 1
Of pneumonia. He left some strycl
nine tablets with explicit direction
that one was to be taken every tw
hours. The brother of the sick mai
despite these directions, r~easonin
that If one was good. more were be
ter, gave the entire supply at one tim
and the man died in a few hours"