42 SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIIULOF ISLANDS. 



l!< }>'( of thf resident physician. 



ST. I'AII. ISLAND. Jinn'. /. /.s'.'/.T. 



I>1 \i; Su:: The resident physician respect fully submits the following report on 

 the ])iil)lic health of St. 1'anl Island diirinu the year ending .hint' 1, 1X!).">: 



Two epidemics have visited the island. The lirsi in ( )etober, of iiUluen/a; the 

 other, varicella, occurred in March. 1 *:.>. An endemic, ^ast ro enteric in tvpe. broke 

 out in the latter part of February, immediatel v after the opening of t he \v inter seal- 

 meat cache. This meat had been piled up on the ground before beini;; thoroughly 

 cooled, ami the layers lowest became tainted. 



There were IM cases of inlliien/a severe, enough to make note of. S ea-es of pneu- 

 monia. ." eases of pleurisy, and .'! cases of phthisis puliiionalis. 



Acute bronchitis has been very common. Ha-mophthesis has. as in previous years, 

 been frei| niMit . Of the eye, con juiicth i tis and irit is have lieeii most coinnion ; of t he 

 ear. otitis media of tlie throat, tonsilitis. and pharyngitis. ( >ne case of cellulitis 

 requiring surgical interference occurred in Sanko Melevedov iVom exposure on the 

 last killing tield last year. Five severe cases ot' icterus occurred. 



In the surgical line there has been done the following: Operation on Axanosia 

 Popoff. for sii-ipurative syno\ itis ot' the left knee. 1 )ecemher _'l . IS'.ir.; <j^ood recovery. 



operation on Mrs. Elory Stepetin, for osteosarcoma of the antrum. 1 )ecember L'!', 

 1S!U. Incision made over the tumor and diseased hone, and neoplastic ; issue removed 

 to the posterior vault of the pharynx : part of the tioor of the orbit removed: eye- 

 ball intact: n'ood recovery: no return as yet. 



Fracture of tin- radius ; Mrs. Xikoli Knikoi'. < 'irciuncision for paraphimosis. Two 

 case- requiring surgical aid. I )isloca t ion of the lower ja \\ . 



A numoer ol cases of minor surgery, scalp wounds, etc.. occurred, but Horn-severe 

 enough to reijiiiie special mention. Sixty-seven teeth were extracted. 



Since November. ls.i|. there have been '.I'.K! prescriptions ijiven out. This does not 

 include simple requests for salts, etc.. but repre>en!s closely the number of cases of 

 sickness requiring examination and diagnosis which have occurred during that time. 



Two deaths have occurred. First. The daughter of Theo Sedic. aue 11 months. 

 The child had an attack of inllu.-n/a early in < )ctober. but made a ^i.od recovery. 1 

 was notified of it --last illness. It died. as far as ! can learn, while undergoing the 

 native process of manipulation, hv Ellen Voekof. Second. Mrs. Neon Mandreijin, 

 cause, acu t e phthisis. 



The births were t5 in number: To A^raiia Mercul i !'. a son, July I. 1^!'!: Alexandria 

 Me!eved<.\. a son. Aumist 11, is'.M: Fatiana Koochootcn. a soil, No\enib<-r I. 1>4; 

 Mary Messekiti. a daughter. Fein-nary 10. \^.*~>; Evdotia 1'opotf. a daughter. April L'-l . 

 18 1 J.")', and (Mamlia Vikoulof, a dauiihter, May !!. IS:'.",. Increase in j)opulat:on. 1. 



At the bottom of by far tin: mujoritv of troubles amon^ the natives is that va^uo 

 constitutional condition known as the stromous d iaot hesis or scrofula. It shows 

 itself chiefly in a genera! lack of the phosphates and mineral salts in the native 

 physiological economy. 



Little can be accomplished in the way of remedying this condition b\ the various 

 medicinal sirups or emulsions until they can be induced to adojtt a diet which will 

 furnish the regular da ilv demand ot nature for those esscnt ial constit tients of the 

 body. 



To this end I would sui^vM that the next year's food .supply contain a larirer ]>er- 

 centaife of those foods rich in phosphates and easily convertible hydrocarbons, as for 

 ex am pie, of fa t -. la I'd. bu 1 1 ermi Ik, sweet oil. and of foods containing phosphates and 

 earthy salts, oatmeal, graham llour, cracked wheat, u'raham crackers, etc. It would 

 also be advantageous if the ( iovernment a^cnt would encourau'e the raising of such 

 vegetables as will i^row here, such as turnips, radishes, lettuce, etc. 



< )ne of the most serious obstacles iii the way of attempts to improve the physical 

 condition ot' the people is the fact that most of them are such inferior cooks. 



Since M-uvh 7. !*!.">. the resident physician has taken t he ohstel rica I work in his 

 own hands. < >n thai dav. Mrs. Julia I'e.sef ^avc Itirth to a dead child under such 

 circumstances that he felt it a matter of necessity to put a st op if possi bin to the 

 further ministrations of the native midwife, Ellen Volkof. A communication was 

 sent to the ( iovernmeut a^ent. who took immediate steps to that effect. 



The village has been 'denied and disinfectant thrown in the jrarba.i;e holes. 



In concluding, the resident physician would like, to acknowledge the hearty sup- 

 port, both moral and material, -^iven him by the Tinted St at es < lovern incut a^ent , 

 Mr. Jud.LCe, in every alteMijit to better the public hygiene. 



N'ei'V I'espeet I'll I I \' , 



( \ i:i).\ 1:1: l'i |{i; v i'< >NI>. M . I > 

 Mr. .1 . STAM.KY- l'>i:<.\s \. 



Su irr'i I'h luli'ii I \nrli' Aint'rnnn <'<nn ini'i-'-iil I < 'oinjxutii . 



