Diseases of the Indians, More Especially of the Southwest United States and Northern Mexico

Personal observations and data obtained from physicians in the Indian service. Personal: the health of the Indians in the southwest and northern Mexico is superior to that of whites living in larger communities. Ailments affecting each organ are described; those particularly common are gastrointestinal, respiratory, eye diseases, arthritis, smallpox, malaria, dysentery, measles. Bones from old burial sites are free from TB. Medical conditions identified by physicians: albinism, goiter, cretinism, insanity, epilepsy, idiocy, deaf mutes, spinal curvatures, and tuberculosis. Specific tribes are not identified. Paper delivered at the joint meeting of the Med and Anthro Societies on 11/29/05.