192 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOG^X [bull. 34 



Albinism 



In studying the defects of pigmentation we meet with two appar- 

 ently related classes of phenomena. One is a regular, more or less 

 complete and extended congenital lack of the usual pigmentation, or 

 what may be termed albinism proper ; the other being a generally irregu- 

 lar, more or less incomplete and extended, depigmentation occurring 

 at some period during life, and known more commonly as vitiligo. 

 Both of these conditions, originally probably neuropatliic, yet seem- 

 ingly radically different, were met with among the Indians visited, but 

 in the southwestern United States the cases found are comparatively 

 few in number and restricted to a few tribes, while no instance of either 

 condition was encountered among the Mexican Indians, with the 

 exception of the Tarahumare, among whom an albino was found by 

 Hartman,'^ and possibly the Mayo, among whom are said to occur, 

 far down the Mayo river, individuals with light hair, skin, and eyes. 

 The Mexican Indians are much scattered, however, and all detailed 

 inquiry is very difficult. 



Among the Hopi and the Zuni albinism has been known since early 

 historic times, and apparently shows no tendency toward either a 

 marked increase or a marked diminution. The \\Titer learned of one 

 case of complete albinism among the Navaho '' and of another at Isleta, 

 besides which he saw a woman 50 years of age, a partial or atyjDical 

 albino (yellow hair, but moderately brown skin), among the Southern 

 Ute, and a case of vitiligo in a male Papago of about 55 years. 

 Finally, in four full-blood Mohave girls at the Fort Mohave school 

 were seen lighter, but not quite vitiligo-like, spots on the exposed 

 portions of the otherwise normal-looking skin. 



The writer made it a point to see all the albinos among the Hopi, 

 and was able to measure all but one as well as to inquire somewhat 

 into their family history, for at the present time the condition is 

 doubtless propagated to some degree through heredity. Among the 

 Zuili he was able to examine but two of the men (see pi. xxvi).*' As 

 the Hopi and Zufii tribes are closely related physically and as the 

 albinism occurring among them is of the same nature, the data 

 relating to them will be presented conjointly. 



The writer found among the Hopi (March, 1900) II and among the 

 Zuili (same year) 6 albinos. The proportion to the whole population 

 was 5.5 per thousand among the Hopi and 3.8 per thousand among 

 the Zuili. 



Of the Hopi albinos, 3 were males and 8 females; of the Zuiii, 3 males 

 and 3 females; total, 6 males and 11 females. Nine out of the total 



oC. W. Hartman, The Indians of North-western Mexico, Congris international des Americamstes, 

 1894, 128-129. Stockholm, 1897. 



b Bourke (p. 400) mentions an albino family among the Navaho. 



c See also notes on the Zuni albinos in Mrs. M. C. Stevenson's The Zmii Indiiins, Twcntij-third Report of 

 Bureau o] A merican Ethnology. 



