N. Dak., where 30.1 per cent of the Indians examined were found infected. The lowest percentage in these States was found by him on the Rosebud Reservation where 10 per cent of those examined were afflicted with the disorder. In South Dakota out of 6,121 Indians examined, 1,059 or 17.24 per cent were found afflicted with trachoma. These cases ranged from mild involvement to the severest possible types of the disease and total blindness. Oklahoma.-In Oklahoma Dr. Guthrie examined 3,252 Indians and found 2,235, or 68.72 per cent, suffering from trachoma. It is needless to state, however, that practically all of these were students at schools. On account of their being widely scattered on land allotments and because of opposition on the part of many, he found it impracticable to examine as relatively a large number of adults as children. In other States the prevalence of trachoma in schools has been found generally to be somewhat greater than among reservation Indians not in schools. It is believed, therefore, that the percentage of the disease among the Indian population of Oklahoma as a whole is not as high as the figures presented would indicate. Guthrie collected data regarding the degree of blood in 2,857 of the Indians examined by him and compiled the following table: TABLE II.—Percentage of trachoma, according to degree of Indian blood, among 2,857 Indians examined in Oklahoma. From these results Guthrie concludes that Indians of full blood in Oklahoma sustain a much heavier infection than do mixed bloods, and, since much the larger proportion of school children examined by him were full bloods, he considers this also an important factor in explaining the high percentage of trachoma found by him. During his investigations Dr. Guthrie reported the finding of trachoma among negro school children as follows: An examination was made of 79 Negro pupils at the Tullahassee Boarding School. These children are the descendants of the Creek freedmen. I was informed that very few of them are of Indian blood and I gained the impression that their association with the Indian population was not more intimate than that among the whites and Indians. It is interesting to know that over 60 per cent of these Negro pupils were suffering from trachoma. This observation is of importance on account of the mixed population in Oklahoma and because of the current belief that the Negro is immune to trachoma. Oregon. In Oregon, out of 904 Indians examined, 94 or 10.4 per cent had trachoma. This State thus had the smallest percentage of trachoma cases of any of the Pacific Coast States. Pennsylvania. All of the Indians examined in Pennsylvania were students of the Carlisle School. They numbered 552 and there was found among them 76 cases of trachoma or 13.76 per cent. Many tribes are represented among the students of this institution. S D-62-3-vol 25—11 Its influence in the transmission or control of trachoma as well as other diseases may accordingly become great. Virginia. All of the Indians seen in Virginia were inmates of the Hampton Normal School. There were 43 in all, 13 of whom had trachoma. This institution, like the Carlisle School, has representation from a large number of tribes and localities. Cumming states that all of the trachoma had been treated, surgically or otherwise, none was in an acute active stage, and 2 cases were after the examination sent to an opthalmologist and operated upon. Wisconsin. Out of a total of 2,999 Indians examined in Wisconsin, 207, or 6.86 per cent, were found to have trachoma. Clark refers to prevalence in the State as follows: The Indians of Wisconsin have long been in contact with civilization and are increasingly inclined to partake of its benefits. The houses of the Indians in Wisconsin are well built for the most part and furnished, comparing favorably with the houses of white people in like circumstances. An exception to the rule is the Lac Du Flambeau, with a trachoma percentage of 10.38, against 6.86 for the State at large. These Indians are the most primitive of any examined in Wisconsin. Washington.-Among 1,347 Indians examined in the State of Washington, 180 or 13.35 per cent had trachoma. The highest percentages of infection were found at the Colville and Spokane, Swinnomish and Yakima Reservations. Wyoming. Out of a total of 392 Indians examined at the Shoshone Reservation, 199 had trachoma-a percentage of 57. On this reservation live parts of two different tribes, the Shoshones and the Arapahoes. Herring states that the latter represent about one-third of the original tribes of Arapahoes found in the United States, the remainder of this tribe being now domiciled in Oklahoma. He states that the Shoshones and Arapahoes are apparently different in every respect, the former being considered quiet, fairly industrious, more advanced toward self-support, and certainly more advanced in their personal and domestic habits; the latter being indolent, dirty to an extreme, regarding their persons, homes and habits generally, and very indifferent to any medical or other aid offered them. Herring further reports that the Arapahoes showed a very much higher percentage of trachoma than did the Shoshones, and a distinctly higher percentage of grave complications as a result of the disease. He invites attention to the interesting fact that the members of this tribe domiciled in Oklahoma showed a like high percentage of infection of trachoma. Finally, out of the total 39,231 Indians examined in all parts of the country, it was found that 22.7 per cent of them were suffering from trachoma-a remarkable and deplorable condition from both public health and economic standpoints. PREVALENCE OF TRACHOMA IN INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS. The general prevalence of trachoma among all Indians examined having been dealt with, it becomes necessary to consider its prevalence in boarding schools, since these are very generally regarded as one of the most important factors for the advancement of the Indian in the general scheme of supervision devised for his benefit by the Federal Government. There is well-grounded basis for this belief, for, at no time in his life, is the Indian more amenable to civilizing influences than during his stay at a boarding school, nor, by reason of the very complete control which may be exercised in such institutions over his habits, environment and daily life, is any better opportunity afforded for educating him in the principles of hygiene and home sanitation, and in ingraining these principles into his character so as to insure their practical application upon his return to his reservation and tribe. The impairment of vision frequently resulting from trachoma constitutes such a menace to his physical and mental efficiency, and the opportunities for its propagation in schools are so numerous and favorable, that it became necessary to examine very carefully into the incidence of this disease in Indian boarding schools. During the investigations, 133 boarding schools were visited by the several officers engaged in the work and 16,470 pupils examined. Although this number has been included in the total number contained in Table I, it is pertinent to consider them separately, and the following Table III shows by States the names of schools visited, the number inspected, the number of cases of trachoma, and the percentage of the disease in each. |