102 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 184 
We note from table 26 that trachoma is no longer among the ‘‘most 
prevalent diseases.”? The rates for typhoid and poliomyelitis are 
low, and smallpox does not appear at all. Sia would probably 
conform closely to the figures in this table. 
Causes of death among the pueblos of New Mexico in 1955 according 
to the U.S. Public Health Service are shown in table 27. 
TABLE 27.—Seven leading causes of death, 1955 (rate per 100,000) 
Ge YAccidents 523 2-1 ee a EE a an ee oe ee 104. 8 
(2))|) Gastritis) dtiodenitis) (Coutis= 2 = so. sana on 67.8 
(3) | Vascular lesions affecting central nervous system-_-_-----_------------------------------- 49.3 
(4): |) Malignant neoplasia = - 2252 585 2 es SE eee 43.1 
(5) O PH Gant: diseases ea - tet ae ee ee ee 30.8 
(6)) |) Datbercilosiss =o eo Se oe ee re ee 30.8 
(An EEE O01 a ee ee eee ee ne ee ee ee 18.5 
Death rates for the New Mexican pueblos in general are not high, 
according to the U.S. Public Health Service. The rates per 1,000 
population in 1955 were: 8.0 for the pueblos, 7.2 for the State of New 
Mexico, and 9.3 for the United States in general. But death rates 
per 1,000 live births for pueblo children under 1 year of age are very 
high (1955): 88.1 for the pueblos, 43.3 for the State of New Mexico, 
and 26.5 for the United States. 
The high death rates for infants are due largely to poor sanitary 
conditions and to improper diet. Many mothers will permit their 
babies to eat anything they want, and are able, to eat—such as green 
fruit or melons. ‘Bowel disorders, especially among small children 
. . is the cause of most of the infant mortality,” said a Government 
physician of Sia in 1924; ‘the lack of comprehension of proper diet 
. is the main cause of death in these cases’? (Halseth, 1924 b, 
Deel 
I have observations and notes on matters of health at Sia from time 
to time beginning in 1928, and in the summer of 1957 I had several 
extensive discussions with physicians and nurses who had worked 
with the Sia. The following may be offered as a summary of this 
topic for the last three decades: 
The hospital at the U.S. Indian School at Albuquerque has pro- 
vided the Sia with medical service for some decades. A field nurse 
from the Pueblos Agency (since July 1, 1955, from the U.S. Public 
Health Service) has visited Sia and other pueblos periodically for 
many years. In recent years a physician has gone to the pueblo 
about once a month to hold clinic (in the facilities of the Government 
school there) and to visit patients. 
Everyone with whom I have discussed health matters at Sia em- 
phasizes the poverty of the pueblo and its effect upon health. This 
expresses itself primarily in their diet. The Sia have been badly 
undernourished continuously for decades. Moreover, their diet is 
