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Show 2 BEPOET OF THE 00ldMISSIONER OF INDIAN OFAIRS to the Indian medical service. Provision has also been mrelatdine! or a physician es ecially qualified in tuberculosis and t r a ~ choma, who will cover t E e field in dealing with special problems connected with these diseases. Under this scheme of reorganization it is expected that more ac-curate compilation of morb~dity and mortality statistics will be made, the medical activities better coordinated and standardized, and the general medical service to the Indians improved through more detailed ahd cbmprehensive.s €ud~es,undb.y :the application of such studies to the needs of the service. With this end in view the United States Public Health Service has detailed Dr. Marshall C. Guthrie to serve as chief medical director, assigning certain other officers to act as district medical directors, and that service has in- - dieated its willingness to act in an advisory and,cooperative ca acity through the services of its hospitals, laboratories, and public- g ealth resources, including the active services of its six field medical diree-kors and. other personnel. The reorganization anticipates also in, creasing the number of special physicians. and nurses now engaged in the eradication of trachoma. Special provision will also be made for putting into effect approved methods of detecting, treating, and safeguarding those who are sufferers from tuberculosis. An increase in the.number of field dentists for reservation and school work is anticipated, as well as a material increase in the nursing personnel specially trained for public-health work. I t is believed that when this. or anization has been put on a thorough working beis an improve$ medical, dental, nursing, and sanitary service to the Indians will result. HEALTAHC TIVITIES.-onnued progress in the health activities of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in its campaign for improved con-ditions among the Indms may be reported at the close of the fiscal year 1926. Education has shown the Indian more clearly the ad-vantages of scientific medical and hospital care, and as a result thereof the need for improved facilities is growing annually. Analysis of vital statistics shows that the birth rate exceeds the death rate. The Bureau of Indian Affairs now maintains health activities in 24 States, which are engaged in treating disease and in improving general sanitary conditions on the Indian reservations. Especial attention has been given to the prevention of disease, and . a regularly outlined educational course on this subject is now pro-vided for the Indian schools. HEALTH~ ~ u c ~ ~ ~ o ~ . -Re&tlhiez iinmgp ortance of health educa- 1 tion as a means of improving health and living conditions, the course in this work estahlished,in the Indian schools a year ago has been extended in its scope to reach children of practically all ages attend-ing the Government schools. It is believed that the training of the child in correct standards of sanitation will result in improved health conditions within the reservation as the pupils return to their homes after leaving school. E ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ c s . -Dutrhien pga st year there were no unusually severe epidemics among the Indians of the country. The use of prophylac-hc vaccines and other preventive measures is greatly m d f y ~ n gep i-demics among the Indian people. A campaign was waged throngh-out the early part of this year for more thorough vaccination against |