| OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER INDIAN AFFAIRS. 13 At the close of the fiscal year there were 51 hospitals with a com-bined capacity of 1,432 patients, and 6 under construction, to care for a population of 331,250 persons with a high percentage of tubemu-losis and trachoma. Out of 199,438 Indians on reservations 67,895 were examined last year. Tuberculosis was present in 8,245 casw and trachoma in 13,841, and it is estimated that there are 21,980 suffering with tuberculosis and 35,769 afflicted with trachoma. The death rate per thonsand last year was 30.76 per cent, and the percent-age of deaths due to tuberculosis was 31.83, while the birth rate per thousand was 38.79. In the appropriation.act for the next fiscal year Congress has given the health work $300,000. There will be $100,000 available for hos-pital purposes besides the direct items for a sanitarium in the Choc-taw Nation and one at Red Lake or Leech Lake and one on the Fond du Lac Reservation. With this additional money it is proposed to bniId seven small hospitals, at a cost of from $12,000 to $15,000 each, on the reservations where the need of medical attention has been most keenly felt rather than place this amount in one or two big hospitals more remotely placed. The smaller hospitals, it is believed, will provide more effective and prompt attention for the sick and at the same time keep the patients near their families. TUBERCULOSIS. This is the scourge of the Indian race, and with a full apprecia-tion of the seriousness of the conditions presented an earnest effort is being made to successfully combat the disease. The progress of the work has been hampered heretofore mainly by insufficient funds. I am fully aware of the fact that to perpetuate the Indian race the inroads of tuberculosis must be stayed. To do this it is essential that better sanitary conditions be instituted in the Indian homes, and cleanliness, better ventilation, and sufficient and nourishmg food not only be insisted upon, but provided, if necessary. Realizing the importance of these matters, a study has been made of the physical conditions of the schools with a view to giving the children sufficient dormitory space, playground equipment, and, where necessary, nollrisliing food suited to their physical condition in addition to the rations now furnished. Every effort is being made to meet conditions of this type as soon as they are discovered. Regnlnr talks are given to the children on sanitary matters; many of the schools are provided with stereoptican outfits, and where practicable the t;~l%asr e illustrated. Constnnt vntcl~ing. monthly weighing, the use of the Pullman towel system, daily p11ysic:il training, use of the playground equip-ment, and sufficient space and ventilation of the dormitories and |
