288 



PFIA PHYSIOLOGY 



[b. a. e. 



T&a, {PficV-taiiua, 'feather people' ). A 

 clan of the pueblo of Taos, N. Mex. — 

 Hodge, tield notes, B. A. E., 1899. 



Pfialola [Pfialula-taiina, 'earring peo- 

 ple'). A clan of the pueblo of Taos, 

 N. Mex.— Hodge, field notes, B. A. E., 

 1899. 



Pfiataikwahlaonan (P/fa/ojA:tt'«'/iMoncm). 

 A clan of the pueblo of Taos, N. Mex. — 

 Hodge field notes, B. A. E., 1899. 



Philip. See King Philip. 



Phillimees. A Seminole town on or near 

 Suwannee r., w. Fla., in 1817. — Drake, 

 Bk. Indians, x, 1848. 



Physiology. While practically nothing 

 is known of the physiology of the Eskimo, 

 with the exception of their great capacity 

 for animal food, recent investigations have 

 yielded definite information in this line 

 regarding the Indians. It has been sup- 

 posed that in his physiologic functions 

 the Indian differs considerably from the 

 white man, but the greater our knowledge 

 in this direction the fewer the differences 

 appear; there is, however, a certain lack 

 of uniformity in this respect between 

 the two races. 



The period of gestation of Indian 

 women is apparently the same as that of 

 the whites, and the new-born child is in 

 every way comparable to the white infant. 

 It begins to suckle as soon as it is given 

 the breast, generally shows excellent 

 nutrition, and has from the beginning a 

 good voice. In 6 to 8 months the first 

 teeth appear; during the 7th or 8th month 

 the child begins to sit up; at 1 year it 

 stands alone, and soon after begins to 

 walk; at the age of about 18 months it 

 commences to talk, and when 4 years of 

 age it has a good command of language. 

 During its first year the Indian child 

 spends as much time in sleeping as does 

 a healthy white child, and after the first 

 year is very playful. It cries, on the aver- 

 age, less than the white child, but the 

 principal reason for this seems to be the 

 fact that it is generally well nourished 

 and not sickly. The infant is nursed 

 usually much later than among whites, 

 not infrequently up to its 3d or 4th year, 

 but after its 6th to 9th month it also par- 

 takes of most of the foods of its parents. 

 Up to the 7th year incontinence of urine 

 is quite frequent, apparently without 

 patliological cause, but this disappears 

 spontaneously thereafter. 



As among whites, the period of puberty 

 in the Indian is earlier in the low and hot 

 regions than in those that are elevated or 

 cold. In such very hot regions as the 

 lower Colorado valley many of the girls 

 begin to menstruate between the ages of 

 11 and 13; while among tribes that live at 

 a considerable altitude, as the Apache of 

 Arizona and the Indians farther n., this 

 function begins usually during the 13th 

 or 14th year, and delays are m<jre numer- 



ous; precise data from many localities 

 are as yet lacking. The development of 

 the breast in the girl commences usually 

 at about the 12th year, and except among 

 individuals there appears to be no great 

 variation among the tribes of which tliere 

 is most knowledge. Full development of 

 the breast is seldom attained in the un- 

 m'arried young woman before the 18th 

 year. The time of puberty in Indian 

 boys differs apparently but little, if any, 

 from that in whites. Scanty growth of 

 mustache is noticeable from about the 

 16th year, sometimes much later. 



Marriage is generally entered into ear- 

 lier than among American whites; only 

 few girls of more than 18 years, and few 

 young men of more than 22 years, are un- 

 married. Now and then a girl is married 

 at 14 or 15, and there is an instance of a 

 Comanche girl of 11 years who married a 

 Kiowa. Among the latter tribe it is not 

 exceptional for girls to be married at 13. 

 Indian women bear children early, and 

 the infants of even the youngest mothers 

 seem in no way defective. The birth rate 

 is generally high, from 6 to 9 births in a 

 family being usual. Twins are not very 

 uncommon, but triplets occur very rarely. 

 One or more naturally sterile women may 

 be met in every large liand. 



The adult life of the Indian offers noth- 

 ing radically different from that of ordi- 

 nary whites. The supposed early aging 

 of Indian women is by no means general 

 and is not characteristic of the race; 

 when it occurs, it is due to the conditions 

 surrounding the life of the individual. 

 Cray hairs in small numbers may occa- 

 sionally be found, as in brunette whites, 

 even in children, but such occurrence is 

 without significance. Senile grayness 

 does not commence earlier than among 

 healthy whites, and it advances more 

 slowly, seldom, if ever, reaching the 

 degree of complete whiteness. Baldness 

 not due to disease is extremely rare. A 

 common phenomenon observed in the 

 aged Indian is pronounced wrinkling of 

 the skin of the face and other parts. Lit- 

 tle is known as to the exact period of 

 menopause in the women, for but few 

 of them know their actual age. Men 

 remain potent, at least occasionally, 

 nmch beyond 50 years. The longevity 

 of the Indian is very much like that of a 

 healthy white man. There are individ- 

 uals who reach the age of 100 years and 

 more, but they are exceptional. Among 

 aged Indians there is usually little de- 

 crepitude. Aged women predominate 

 somewhat in numbers over aged men. 

 Advanced senility is marked by general 

 emaciation, marked wrinkling of the 

 skin, forward inclination of the body, 

 and gradual diminution of muscular 

 power as well as of acuteness of the 

 senses. The teeth are often much worn 



