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Show 26 COilIMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. physicians, in addiGon to other publications on the diseases of the eye. Epidemics of measles have occurred at Jicarilla, Tulalip, Chep enne River, and several other schools, but no deaths have followed. Isolated cases of smallpox have appeared among Indians at Quinaielt, Wash., and among white persons living near Indian com-munities at various places. None of these latter cases resulted in infection among the Indians. The general vaccination order issued last year has been strictly enforced. Five cases of epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis, resulting in two deaths, occurred at Fort Sill, Okla., and two cases, with one death, at Collii Institute, Okla. At both places the disease was promptly diagnosed and careful pre-cautions taken against its spread. Flexner's serum was promptly used. The three deaths were from an exceedingly virulent and fulminating type. At the time of these occurrences the disease was epidemic among the whites in Oklahoma and Texas. Recently systematic cooperation with State boards of health began. Every superintendent throughout the service has been instructed to cooperate heartily, and the State boards have as heartily responded. One of the first steps which will be taken, if Congress grants the necessary money, will be to appoint traveling dentists for all of the schools, or to make contracts with local dentists where practicable. A strenuous campaign should be made among the teeth of the Indians. Every child ought also, in my judgment, to be examined for adenoids. Physicians in the Indian Service should be graded as they are in other branches of the Government service and, in the hope of money enough from the Congrass to employ them, the entrance requirements in the civil-service examinations should be raised, so that better new men for the service can be secured. Liberal provision should be made for annual and educational leave for these men, as that is essential to their practice and growth as physicians. This is pecul-inrly true, due to the isolation of physicians on many Indian reser-vations. Series of well-illustrated pamphlets are being prepared on practical sanitation, methods of spread of disease, and personal hygiene, and, most important of all, real constructive home making. A great increase should be made in our present stock of photographs, moving pictures, and stereopticon slides for lecture work. All school papers are being encouraged to publish health items in such effective manner as has already been done at several places, especially at the Cheyenne and Arapaho superintendency. Another competitive composition contest is being prepared for this year, this time on the subject of home making. This will be the im-portant health study among the children this year as tuberculosis was last. |
