BILL. 301 



PHYSIOLOGY 



239 



down, or are lost mainly through the 

 absorption of the alveolar processes. 



Among the more primitive tribes, who 

 often pass through periods of want, 

 capacity for food is larger than in the 

 average whites. Real excesses in eating 

 are witnessed among such tribes, but prin- 

 cijially at feasts. (,)n the reservations, 

 and under ordinary circumstances, the 

 consumption of food by tlie Indian is 

 usually moderate. All Indians readily 

 develop a strong inclination for and are 

 easily affected by alcoholic drinks. The 

 average Indian ordinarily passes some- 

 what more time in sleep than the civil- 

 ized white man; on the other hand, he 

 manifests considerable capability for en- 

 during its loss. Yawning, .snoring, eruc- 

 tation, and tiatus are about as common 

 with Indians as with whites. Sneezing, 

 however, is rare, and hiccough even more 

 so. Dreams are frequent and variable. 

 Illusions or hallucinations in healthy in- 

 dividuals and under ordinary conditions 

 have not been observed. Lefthanded- 

 ness occurs in every tribe, and with 

 nearly the same frequency as among 

 whites (approximately 3 per cent). The 

 sight, hearing, smell, and taste of the 

 Indian, so far as can be judged from un- 

 aided but extended observation, are in 

 no way peculiar. In the ordinary Indian 

 with healthy eyes and ears, the sight and 

 liearingare generally very good, but in no 

 way phenomenal. To those who receive 

 education above that of the common 

 school, glasses are often necessary. In 

 the old, eyesight is generally weakened, 

 and in some the hearing is more or less 

 blunted. The physical endurance of In- 

 dians on general occasions probably ex- 

 ceeds that of the whites. The Indian 

 easily sustains long ^Talking or running, 

 hunger and thirst, severe sweating, etc. ; 

 but he often tires readily when subjected 

 to steady work. His mental endurance, 

 however, except w'hen he may be engaged 

 in ceremonies or games, or on other 

 occasions which produce special mental 

 excitement, is but moderate; an hour of 

 questioning almost invariably produces 

 mental fatigue. Respiration and temper- 

 ature are nearly the same as in healthy 

 whites, the latter perhaps averaging 

 slightly lower; but the pulse is some- 

 what slower, the general average in adult 

 men approximating 66. Muscular force 

 in the hands, tested by the dynanometer, 

 is somewhat lower than with whites in 

 the males and about equal in the females. 

 The shoulder strength shows less differ- 

 ence, and the strength, or at least the 

 endurance, of the back and lower limbs, 

 judging from the work and other pur- 

 suits to which the Indians are accus- 

 tomed, probably exceeds that of the 

 whites. 



The mental functions of the Indian 

 should be compared with those of whites 

 reared and living under approximately 

 similar circumstances. On closer obser- 

 vation the differences in the fundamental 

 psychical manifestations between the two 

 races are found to be small. No instincts 

 not i)Ossessed by whites have developed 

 in the Indian. His proficiency in track- 

 ing and concealment, his sense of direc- 

 tion, etc., are accounted for by his special 

 training and practice, and are not found 

 in the Indian youth who has not had 

 such experience. The Indian lacks much 

 of the ambition known to the white man, 

 yet he shows more or less of the quality 

 where his life affords a chance for it, as 

 in war, in his games, art, adornment, and 

 many other activities. 



The emotional life of the Indian is 

 more moderate and ordinarily more free 

 from extremesof nearly every nature, than 

 that of the white person. The prevalent 

 subjective state is that of content in well- 

 being, with inclination to humor. Pleas- 

 urable emotions predominate, but seldom 

 rise beyond the moderate; those of a pain- 

 ful nature are occasionally very pro- 

 nounced. Maternal love is strong, espe- 

 cially during the earlier years of the child. 

 Sexual love is rather simply organic, not 

 of so intellectual an order as among 

 whites; but this seems to be largely the 

 result of views and customs governing 

 sex relations and marriage. The social 

 instinct and that of self-preservation are 

 much like those of white people. Emo- 

 tions of anger and hatred are infrequent 

 and of normal character. Fear is rather 

 easily aroused at all ages, in groups of 

 children occasionally reaching a panic; 

 but this is likewise clue in large measure 

 to peculiar beliefs and untrammeled 

 imagination. 



Modesty, moralitj% and the sense of right 

 and justice are as natural to the Indian as 

 to the white man, but, as in other respects, 

 are modified in the former by prevalent 

 views and conditions of life. Transgres- 

 sions of every character are less frequent 

 in the Indian. INIemory ( of sense impres- 

 sions as well as of mental acts proper) is 

 generally fair. Where the faculty has 

 been much exercised in one direction, as 

 in religion, it acquires remarkable capac- 

 ity in that particular. The young exhibit 

 good memory for languages. The fac- 

 ulty of will is strongly developed. In- 

 tellectual activities proper are com- 

 para])le with those of ordinary healthy 

 whites, though on the whole, and ex- 

 cepting the sports, the mental processes 

 are probably habitually slightly slower. 

 Among many tribes lack of thrift, im- 

 providence, absence of demonstrative 

 manifestations, and the previously men- 

 tioned lack of ambition are observable; 



