OCR Text |
Show XLII REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONl+R OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. last is 67,352; the number of deaths, 1,936. As the medical corps con-sisted of only 59 physicians it is fair to infer that their duties were faith-fully performed. The number of births *ported by physicians is 1,479, which of course is far short .of the actual number of births during the year. A tabulated statement will be found on page 263 showing the number of patients treated, disemes, $c. Fiom this it appears that the greatest morhific agents have been malarial and pnlmonary diseases, especially the former. This is particularly noticeable among those Indians who have been removed from extreme northern to almost semi-tropical latitudes; but there is this prospective compeusation for their present suffering: the change will fa~o~longeyi tays, there will be a n almost total imqunit~frompu lmonary diseases, the result of necessary exposure incident to the cliplate of the territory formerly occupied by them. The nomadic life of the Indian renders the services of the physician at times very unsatisfactory on account of the difficulty experienced in subjecting Indian patients to the necessary diatctic discipline, but this will be modified gradually as the influence of the "medicine man" is succeeded by that of the intelligent and sympathetic physician. CONSOLIDATION OF AGENCIES. ..I In the last annual report, the policy and economy of co~isolidating many of our Indianagencies was urged at length, with the recommenda-tion that the sulplus lands be sold, and the proceeds thereof be used for the bene.fit of the Indians. During the current year the Omaha and Winnebago agencies have been consolidated, and the Red Lake and Leech Lake agencies have bee11 consolidated wit.h the White Earth Agency; the Fhdreau. Agency has been put, in charge of the agent for the Santees. .These movements are in the right direction, and there should be mauy more of like character. By the concentration of Indians the time needed to civilize them may be shortened, and the sale of their lands will contribute largely to their support in the future. The carrying out of this policy in the consolidati.on of the Chippewas in Wiswnsi~i,a s provided in House bill 1139, flrst session Forty-sixth Congress, would be especially benetioial both to the Indians interested and to the government. These, Indians occupy t.bee reservations, em-bming a territory largely in excess of their actual wants, covered with a heavy growth of very vduable pine timber, which is deterioraming in value every. year or'being destroyed b ~f!or est W. Large quaotities have also been removed in years past by trespassers. Thcre are probably 600,000,000 feet of merchanttlble pine timber on thesereservations, which, under present cir~umstancesi,s of no value to the Indians. The bill nnder consideration is intended to authorize the consolidation of the In-dians upon the two reservations containing the beet agricultural lauds; the allotment and patenting of a certain number of acres to each indi- |