262 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



Another common characteristic of people in this group is the failure 

 to complete a series of inoculations. All of them manage to appear 

 for an initial injection, but many of them do not reappear within the 

 stipulated time period. For example, a couple from Big Cove brought 

 one child into the clinic held in Cherokee. After the small baby was 

 inoculated, the mother said, ''I got another one in the car; maybe it 

 might need something," The record was checked, and it was found 

 that one inoculation had been administered 2 years before. While 

 waiting for the second child, the nurse turned to the mother and said, 

 "Are you eating liver and greens?'^ There was no answer. The 

 husband came in with the second child; the nurse spoke to him. 

 "Don't you think Ida is looking poorly?" He did not answer. 

 Finally, after a long pause, he nodded. The nature of the inoculations 

 was explained to him, and he was told the date on which the children 

 were to be brought back for the second. He responded by saying 

 "Yes" in a manner pecuHar to Conservatives, leaving one in doubt 

 about their comprehension. 



They seldom provide a reason for the neglect in the followthrough 

 of the protective series. It is diflSicult to judge how much they 

 understand of the instructions about further visits, although they 

 nod when they are told to return in 2 months or 6 months. 



Parents also accompany children to the preschool clinic. They 

 watch without comment the physical examination given by a staff 

 physician of the Public Health Hospital. When they are questioned, 

 they respond by nods or in murmured short sentences. On one such 

 occasion a child refused to open his mouth to have his teeth checked. 

 The doctor put down his tongue depressor saying, "I'm not going to 

 fool with him." The mother said, hesitantly, "He was sick on the 

 way down. He threw up." The doctor explained, "That's because 

 he didn't want to come here. It wiU do that to him. He needs to 

 get out and meet more people." The mother made no reply and 

 left with the child. 



The people of the first category are Conservatives. Some of them 

 attend the clinics irregularly, others are more regular. All of them 

 are passive participants. Communication emanates from the medical 

 staff and is largely one way. The Indians speak when spoken to. 



CATEGORY 2. ACTIVE 



Members of this category are in sharp contrast to those of the first: 

 They joke with the nurse and pass on local news. They tell children 

 old enough to understand that "it won't hurt." If a child should 

 cry, he is frequently told not to cry. Discussions of the inoculations 

 are common and advice is sought on other matters pertaining to the 

 children and occasionally to themselves. 



