HRDLicKA] PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL OBSERVATIONS 191 



Hernia is rare, and the few cases seen or heard of were nearly all of 

 the umbilical variety and nearly all in children. 



Pathological obesity does not exist (see Obesity, pp. 156-157). 



For albinism, which is restricted almost entirely to the Hopi and 

 Zuiii, see special section at the end of the chapter. 



Fractures of bones are infrequent, more rare than among white 

 people. 



In general, then, the morbid conditions that occur frequently, and 

 those that occur more rarely among the Southwestern and the north- 

 Mexican Indians than among average white Americans, are as follows : 



Frequent among Southwestern Indians 



Affections of the gastro-intestinal tract. j Smallpox ; measles. 



Affections of the respiratory organs. Malaria: dysentery. 



Affections of the eyes. Pemphigo contagiosa (in children). 



Muscular rheumatism and senile arthritis, j 



Rare among Southwestern Indians 



Anemia. 



Affections of breasts. 



Diseases of heart, arteries, and veins. 



Asthma. 



Affections of the liver. 



Affections of the female sexual organs j 



Dental caries. 



Cancer. 



Rachitis. 



Hernia (femoral, inguinal). 



Idiocy (high-grade). 



Insanity. 



(including those of pregnancy and '■ Nervous diseases (excepting epilepsy). 



puerperium, and lacerations). 

 Many affections of the skin. 



Scarlatina. 

 Bone fractures. 



A few special remarks may be made in this place concerning syphilis 

 among the Southwestern and the north-Mexican natives before 

 the advent of whites. As already remarked, the disease in the Indian 

 affects the bones as it does in the whites, and in some of the recent 

 cases, of which there are good examples from Alaska, the destruction 

 of the bony tissues, particularly in the skull, is great; if, therefore, 

 syphilis existed before the Spaniards reached this country, signs of 

 it should be at least occasionally discovered in the ancient burials. 

 But the bones and particularly the skulls from the old burials are, 

 generally, free of signs characteristic of the disease; and this is true 

 of the bones from ancient graves in California, the Northwest coast, 

 and other localities, exclusive of the southeastern mounds. If this 

 easily communicable disease existed for any length of time before the 

 whites (Columbian and post-Columbian) came, it is difficult to see 

 how, with the well-known widespread intercourse among the Ii^dians, 

 whole great regions could escape it. It may be remarked that signs 

 of the disease are absent also from the older burials from Peru and 

 other localities in South America. From some of the regions men- 

 tioned the osteological collections are extensive and have been made 

 in a thorough manner. 



