RT Journal
T1 CUrrent comment
JF Journal of the American Medical Association
JO Journal of the American Medical Association
YR 1949
FD February 12
VO 139
IS 7
SP 460
OP 460
DO 10.1001/jama.1949.02900240038012
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1949.02900240038012
AB GOVERNMENT MEDICINE AND THE NAVAJO-HOPI INDIANS 
    Last week The Journal published a special report on medical conditions among the Navajo-Hopi Indians, made by a group of physicians sent by the Department of the Interior as representatives of the American Medical Association. These physicians spent two weeks traveling over the Indian reservations inspecting and studying health conditions. The medical care of these 64,000 Indians, roaming over some 18,000,000 acres of eroded land, appears to be most unsatisfactory. The statistical data available regarding tuberculosis indicated that the mortality of this disease among the Indians is about ten times that of the general population. Other serious medical problems are the upsurging venereal diseases, particularly syphilis, preventable killing diarrheas and trachoma which might be eliminated by an intensive treatment campaign. There are also many surgical, orthopedic and dental problems. The report of the physicians stressed the common preventable, communicable and curable diseases because, the