250 FUR-SEAL FISHEKiES OF ALASKA. 



it. He had a bottle of wasli there that he seemed to pin his faith to, 

 some sort of carbolic wash. The doctor said that he would i)robabl>' 

 live about six months and that the arm ought to come off. It is neces- 

 sary for tlie preservation of the company that the people should have 

 a rigid medical supervision and some preparation in that way should be 

 made. The first thing to be done is to get them in good physical con- 

 dition, as they are full of scrofula. 



Q. That sort of information is as important to the committee as any 

 we could get. Does any such condition exist among the natives of 

 these islands ? — A. The seal islands'? No; their condition is greatly im- 

 proved. They have doctors there and they furnish them with medical 

 assistance and do as well as could be expected, but there is a great deal 

 to do. 



Q. Does the company i)rovide sufficient medical assistance ? — A. I 

 think they do, sir. I do not know definitely whether they do or not, 

 and I have no comi>laint to make of what the company does about it. 

 They have a doctor at each place and they do what they can. I think 

 there are two on St. Paul, and they send them about m the steamers, 

 and if the company exercised a better medical supervision it would re- 

 quire more physicians. 



Mr. Maodo'nald. I would call attention to the fact that there is no 

 provision in the contract for furnishing physicians and medicine. The 

 contract is only for St. Paul and St. George, and, if 1 understand you 

 correctly, the company does all they are required, and probably more 

 than they contracted for. 



The Chairman. The company is not required to furnish medical at- 

 tendance. That is not a i)art of the contract. The law does not re- 

 quire that. 



The Witness. I believe you are right about that. 



Mr. Macdonald. You give it as your opinion that the Government 

 should supply a fixed medical attendance? 



The Witness. My oi)inion is that they should have better medical 

 attendance, whoever furnishes it. 



TESTIMONY OF JACOB H. MOULTON. 



Jacob H. Moulton, recalled and examined. 



By the Chairman : 



Q. W^ill you please state if at any time yon have occupied an official 

 position under the Government in connection with the administration 

 of the lease of the seal islands of Alaska, and at what time. — A. I 

 was special agent of the Treasury Dei)artment at the seal islands from 

 1877 until 1885, eight years. 



Q. State vvlnit your duties were there. — A. My duties were to see 

 that the law in regard to the killing of seals was complied with and to 

 take general charge of the native ])()pulation of the island. 



Q. Did you find the laws faithfully executed and the contract faith- 

 fully complied with on the i)artof the Alaska Commercial Company? — 

 A. Yes, sir ; always. 



Q. What number of seal did they take annually? — A. The first year 

 I was there they took 75,000. That was in 1877. Perhai)s more— a 

 few over — but it was about 75,000. And another year, 1 do not remem- 

 ber whether it was the next year or not, they took 80,000. With that 

 exception of two years they took 100,000 anniuUly for eight years. 



