The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-06-30
CUT DEATH RATE
AMONG INDIANS
Peak of Excessive Mortality
Was Reached in 1913.
POPULATION IS ON THE GAIN

/ The National tuberculosis associa-
ton appointed committee In 1921 to
Investigate tuberculosis among the
North American Indians. Drs. G. M.
Kober, G. E. Bushnell, H. f. Dear
holt, J. A. Murphy and A. b. Tonkin
and Mr.. w. III. Baldwin comprised
Il the committee. In it's recent report
| says the Journal of the American
Medical association, it is said that the
peak of excessive mortality among the
Indians was reached in 1913, when
the death rate was 1924 per thousand.
This was gradually reduced until in
! 1920, the rate was 22.33 per thousand.
OF the total number of deaths of In
dians in 1911, tuberculosis caused 80
per cent; in 1920, 81 per cent
Scrofula and consumption were OBJ
| served among the Indians of North
America as early at 1685-1658, in
which period the prevalence of tuber-
culosis among the Indians was no
greater than among the white race,
and perhaps not as great. 1t appears
that there has been a progressive in
crease in the prevalence of the disease
since their contact with the white
race. The variations in the prevalence
of tuberculosis among the different
tribes today are great-some are thor
oughly tuberculized; others show the
characteristics of recent acquaintance
with the disease
Decadence Halted.
Among the five civilized tribes Of In
dams in Oklahoma tuberculosis is no
more prevalent than among the white
people of the state who live on the
same industrial plane. The Indian has
passed through a state of decadence |
when his disappearance was imminent |
Medical science and humanitarian |
government have overcome his down
ward trend and there is now a hope
full outlook, according to the report
The records of the census bureau in
dicates that there has been an in
crease in the Indian population of
7,241 since 1900.
The first hospital for Indians was
established in 1882. In 1922 there
were 70 hospitals 200 physicians, 100
nurses, 100 hospital employees, 80
matrons and other employees in the
Indian medical service. The commit
tee says that, with few exceptions, the
teachers and other en-
ployees in the conservation of the
health of the Indians IS worthy Of
praise, and that the most urgent need
today are provisions for adults in the
and advanced stages of
There are needed two or three SAN
atoriums, one of them for hopeless
cases, where an ADULT Indian gan die t
n poacx Md comfort without jeop-
ardizing the lives Of those to whose
are he is committed. This sound pol
cy. the committee continues, is alb L
solutely essential for anything like
reasonable success in mitigating the
spread and ravages Of the disease. = :
Who Is Responsible? h
In some states, notably New York, p
here is conflict Of opinion as to d
sent is responsible for the health Of
he Indians. 1t appears that the fed >
raj government has never made any
for the health service of
he New York Indians, because the
reaties between the Six Nations OF %
lew York and the United States have ..
o reference to the Indians health =,
he committee urgently recommends,
a Justice to the tribes of New York,
hat the conflict Of jurisdiction be :
rought to the attention of the De- <
artment OF Justice with 4 view Of n
ettlement n
While there are 4 good many In II
ians who are citizens and taxpayers,
should be remembered that the =
,ajority OF the $50, 8ST Indians in the
'nited States are poor ana scattered
he policy Of the bureau OF Indian -
fairs has been to make them self .
Importing by teaching them how to
ork. Their employment unfortunate
is often Of a temporary character, -
nd their income wholly inadequate =
, maintain a proper standard of liv- u
g. Thus, their vitality is often SO re- q
uced they are unable to do a full
ay's work, and they are cruelty ac- :
lsed Of being lazy when In truth
ey have not sufficient food, says the Il
ritter.
The bureau il aware that insufh- &
ent food IL an important cause u
e undue prevalence OF tuberculosis,
Id yet, sometimes in extreme emer- q
.ncies, 1t is difficult, If not impos- 4
tle, to meet the situation, owing to .
e lack of funds.
25O YEARS DIN