The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-07
TUBERCULOSIS AMONG
 ALASKAN NATIVES.

s-TubercuIosis will exterminate the native population of Alaska in the cnhrse Of sixty to seventy years if not sradicated at once." says pr. Emil Krulish. of the Public Health Service. reporting to the United States Com missioner of Education t'I am of the opinion that 15 per cent of the entire population is infected with tubercu- lcEis in either the active or the latent uzge- With the advent of the white man. into the Territory the native has contracted his diseases, with the re- suit that tuberculosis and other dis eases are deEenerating and depopulat- Ing the race"
 pr. Krulish has just returned from a seven months trip through Alaska, where he went on special detail to ex- : anime the physical condition of the tions responsible for much of the mis- erE that exists While in some eases native houses compare favorably with those of white people. Dr. Krulish tells how in the crowded, unventilated rooms of most of the villages all eat from the same dish, drink from the saIne teapot spout, use the same tow ai. and expectorate on the same fooI It is under conditions like these that The native population of Alaska de creased 14-5 per cent between 1900 md 1910-
 
 less. however, if further remedial measures are taken at once. according to pr. KruIish- He points out that ln Sit<a, where for the five years pre- reding 1912 pr. M. H. Foster. of the Public Health Service, found an an- nual death rate of s5 and a birth rate of 72. or a net loss of 3 per thousand, |, he death rate during the past year was but 29 per thousand The i'm provement in Alaskan conditions at sItka and elsewhere is attributed by Dr. KruIish chiefly to the influence and Rfnorts of physicians. nurses. teachers, and hospitals now under the Bureau of Education. This demonstrates, he believes, that the outlook for the gen Rral betterment of the health condi- ssons of the natives is encouraging and he task feasible. Give the native RWhfte mans chance,'' says pr. Kru- nsh. and am positive that he will respond equally as we'll
 Considerable extension of the med teal service is urged by Dr. Krulish He recommends that natives suffering from tuberculosis, veuereaI and eye diseases be removed to properly equip ped hospitals for treatment;9 that the aumber of trained nurses employed for Held work be increased; and that the Important educational work of the nazrses. whereby they teach mothers he proper care and feeding of in fnnts, cleanliness in the homes, and other necessary principles of health F1l living. be more adequately provid- sd. for than the present funds will al- aft
 While giving due credit to the pres mt medical services, Dr. Krulish oe- >sares that it is entirely inadequate a sAe demand At present there ie .sS Appropriation available for the cree sIDzn of hospitals'' he asserts f.aI- ihough these institutions arekreeessary Tor the proper treatment of cases. The physicians now employed are Working g lt disadvantage in rented buildings hat are unsuited for the treatment of me sick while many of them have DO hospital facilities at all; but even With this equipment good results are hefmE accom- p1ished- The present medical work should therefore be ex- A1nded and placed upon a firm and