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Show 160 causes for the high rate of infant mortality. Then, he analyzed the dietetic value of the classic products that the Indian child eats and he concludes that "in a diet based on corn, beans and hot chile the child suffers the most because of the small size of its digestive system and due to a greater sensitiveness that prevents him from consuming an amount of chile and beans equal to that of adults; this disadvantage operates precisely at the time when the body needs more building foods and more vitamins for its growth and development." It is unfortunate that on farms where there are cows, goats and pigs to produce milk, cheese, butter, lard, etc., the diet of Indian children is most lacking in fats. The author urges the rational use of vegetal oils contained in such common products as peanuts, avocados, etc. This situation (i.e. sub-normal diet, lack of personal hygiene, and poor housing) has its injurious effects during the most important period of child development. "Passing through the streets of any town, babies may be seen exuberantly happy with kind and intelligent faces; it is a little later that their environment crushes them and they become sad and indifferent. They proceed in life on a declining grade that I have observed always in the life of the individual and generations of American Indians." Urizar Rogelio, (Paraguay). "Grupos Sanguineos de Autoctonos del Chaco Paraguayo," America Indigena, II No. 4 (October, 1942),, Mexico, D.F., pp. 49-50. English Summary: With the cooperation of General Juan Belaieff, blood tests were taken in four Indian groups of the Chaco. This was accomplished under the pretense of giving small pox vaccinations, with which the Indians there are familiar since small pox is a serious problem in the Chaco. Tests were taken of 111 (55 adult males, 31 adult females, 25 children) Maca Indians of the southern Chaco. These tall, dark, well-proportioned Indians eke out an existence by hunting and fishing. Their extreme poverty threatens to exterminate them. The test revealed that 108(98.08%) belong to blood Group 0, 1 to Group A, 2 to Group B, and none to Group AB. The three cases in which agglutination of the standard serums with anti-A and anti-B took place were samples from adults, and were tested with an insufficient quantity of blood. Three samples were taken from Guaroyos Indians of the western Chaco, who are more civilized than the Maca* all proved to belong to Group 0. Two tests each were made from the Sanapana and Angaite of the northern Chaco, and again 111 belonged to Group 0. The author concludes with the hypothesis that if in primitive human tribes which have remained isolated, Group 0 is almost exclusive, Group 0 is then a primitive blood group. |