FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY. 83 
be on cuty at all times on each island it is impossible to grant either 
a leave of absence at any time. This condition in connection with 
the impracticability of employing physicians temporarily as reliefs 
for the permanent ones makes it generally necessary for a physician 
to resign in order to obtain a leave of absence. Some method 
whereby this difficulty may be overcome should be evolved. It has 
been suggested that it might be possible to secure the services of 
physicians for limited periods from some other branch of the Goy- 
ernment service. 
In these primitive communities on St. Paul and St. George Islands 
the work of the physicians is in no small degree that of preventing 
disease and of improving general sanitary conditions. In addition 
to purely professional work they are called upon to give attention 
to the condition of the houses of the natives, to their food, clothing, 
and methods of living in general. While much has been accom- 
plished in raising the standard of living among these people, and 
while conditions as a whole are probably on a more desirable plane 
than ever before, much remains to be done, and a large field for use- 
ful work is open to physicians who are sufficiently interested in this 
kind of work to undertake it with enthusiasm. 
St. Paul Island.—The health of the natives was on the whole satis- 
factory during the year. With the exception of an epidemic of 
gastroenteritis in February and March, there was very little real 
sickness. During this period two deaths occurred; one from acute 
gastroenteritis and one from chronic pulmonary tuberculosis with 
acute gastroenteritis. 
The hospital which was opened in 1915 has proved a decided 
success and of great help to the resident physician. In the period 
from September 1, 1915, to September 1, 1916, eleven cases were 
treated there. Among these were a patient from the navy collier 
Saturn and two from the Navy radio station. In this connection 
it may be stated that in the same period the physician on numerous 
occasions rendered services, including dental work, to persons em- 
ployed by the Navy Department. 
In cooperation with the school-teachers, attention was given to 
sanitary conditions in the school, and the children were instructed 
in elementary principles of hygiene and in breathing and other health- 
ful exercises. It is hoped that the instruction given in the school 
will have a beneficial influence upon the home life of the children, in 
which the field for improvement is large. 
In the latter part of 1915 a physical examination was made of each 
native on St. Paul. This examination gave the physician an oppor- 
_ tunity to inform himself quite thoroughly in regard to the physical 
condition of each one and was especially valuable in bringing to light 
defects and weaknesses which in many cases would otherwise have 
