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Show 8 OOMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. started in the schools. The other should be an institution located in the Southwest for the care of advanced cases of pulmonary and other forms of tuberculosis which, in addition to providing comfort to these cases in their last illness, would also be a medium of pro-tecting other members of th'e family from constant contact with the contagion. Aside from individual funds which may be applied in a limited number of cases, and tribal funds where available, there are prac-tically no sanitary improvement funds. The appropriation, ," Re-lieving distress and prevention of diseases among Indians," is not direct1 applicable for the betterment of living conditions. The older fndians, generally speaking, know little of the evils of poor ventilation, of the dangers of overcrowding, or of the way in which disease is transmitted; in other words, their health habits are had. In white communities the customs of polite society require certain stand-ards of personal cleanliness and freedom from the apparent signs of disease. On Indian reservations and in Indian communities the ab-sence of such conventional standards makes it difficult to secure saui-tary progress. The Indian Service has its problems of child welfare, of the care of aged, indigent poor and the physically and mentally in-capacitated, and the obligations to aid and alleviate rest not only measurably upon every field employee but very heavily upon the medi-cal service intrusted with the prevention and treatment of disease over a large territory, much of whlch is not provided with good roads. In view, therefore, of the great importance of Indian health work, the high qualifications necessary, the arduous duties, difficulties of travel, and frequently isolated living conditions, I can not too strongly urge the just and immediate necessity for increasing the salaries of the medical personnel to equal those of other Government depart-ments. RED CROSSC OOPERATaImO Nde.e-pIl y interested in making greater gains in all health progress by a general elevation of Indian home life and social standards and am glad to announce that a plan of cooperation has recently been effected with the executive com-mittee of the Red Cross whereby they are furnishing, at the society's expense, the services of three full-time visiting nurses for Indian Service work. Under this fortunate arrangement important as-signments were promptly selected where the service of these nurses could be rendered to meet urgent needs. Excellent results are antici-pated through this commendable action of the American Red Cross, for which I desire to express sincere appreciation. It is the inten-tion to have these trained workers of varied experience closely study living conditions in Indian homes with a view tp applyin methods that will be of practical value to our health act,ivities, and,f y sugges-tion indicate wherein they may he more effectively organwed or en-larged. Their survey will enter somewhat the realm of social service and domestic welfare for the purpose of cooperating with our body of field matrons,, whose duties bring them in intimate re-lation to household conditions and whose work is worthy of every assistance that may flow from experience in other fields of like service. If the results are as contemplated I shall earnestly seek such provisions as are now lacking to accomplish a higher average of Indian health. |