White] THE PUEBLO OF SIA, NEW MEXICO 103 
improperly balanced; it is excessively low in proteins, and there is a 
marked deficiency of vitamin C. For many years the Sia have pur- 
chased a portion of their food from traders’ stores, at San Ysidro and 
Bernalillo, but in recent years, with more and better transportation, 
more purchases are being made in Albuquerque. The amount of 
food purchased has increased, both absolutely and relatively, over the 
years, but especially since World War II, owing in large part to an 
increase in the number of Sia, both men and women, who work for 
- wages outside the pueblo, and to a lesser extent to Government pay- 
ments to ex-service men. It is difficult to form an adequate estimate 
of the effect on total diet that these outside purchases have had. It 
is probable that the Sia are eating more food nowadays than formerly, 
but whether they have a better balanced and more health-promoting 
diet is open to question. 
The isolation and difficulty of access to Sia in the past have held 
back progress in medical care. Not only was it difficult formerly 
for doctors and nurses to get to the pueblo, but it was even more 
difficult for the Sia to go to Albuquerque for medical treatment. 
And even in 1955 there were insufficient transportation facilities to 
meet medical needs. 
Another important factor in the health situation at Sia has been, 
and still was in 1957, widespread ignorance, and lack of appreciation, 
of all kinds of sanitary measures; e.g., the fact that flies constitute a 
health hazard, especially to infants, is not appreciated by many. 
Only one or two households had refrigerators in 1957. 
A half-century ago the Sia had to rely almost entirely upon their 
own folk medicine and the magical ceremonies of their medicinemen 
and curing societies. And when white man’s medicine was gradually 
made available to them, the Pueblos Agency encountered a great 
deal of hostility among the pueblos generally to American doctors 
and medicine. In 1930 the superintendent of the Southern Pueblos 
Indian Agency reported: 
The greatest difficulty at the present time in health work is our inability to 
overcome the ancient traditions and superstitions of the older Indians. 
It seems impossible to render any assistance to some of the older Indians at all. 
. . . the younger ones seem willing to accept medical service but are prevented 
from doing so by their parents. We frequently have cases wherein . . . doctors 
or nurses are refused admittance to the homes of the sick. [It will be necessary 
to overcome] their beliefs and superstitions of centuries, which of necessity is a 
very slow proposition, [U.S. Senate, 1932, pt. 19, pp. 9875—-9876.] 
Much progress in this direction has been made since 1930. Almost 
all the Sias today (1957) would be willing to accept the white man’s 
medicine, although many would not seek it except in cases of serious 
ilmess or injury. The doctor and nurse are welcomed on their 
periodic visits, and mothers freely bring their children to the clinic 
