Page:LewisMeriam-TheProblemOfIndianAdministration.djvu/324

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Health
297

operation, there have been seven physicians, and, as far as could be learned, only one of them was qualified for the position, Except at Phoenix, Sac and Fox, and Talihina, the superintendent is supposed to perform some reservation duties in addition to his hospital work.

The nursing personnel for all sanatorium patients is far below the accepted ratio of one to seven for bed and one to thirty for ambulant cases. Matrons not trained and frequently unsympathetic are often depended upon for nursing service. At Fort Lapwai a matron was punishing three tubercular boys by requiring them to take their afternoon rest on the floor in a draughty hall instead of in bed.

That the staff of employees as a whole is below that requisite to render approved service will be seen from the accompanying table:

If it is assumed that the actual use of these beds approximates 79 per cent in any one year, there was still a deficiency in all employees, The same factors must be considered in these figures as were outlined under Hospitals.[1]

The conditions described above are sure to react on the results obtained with patients. All cases hospitalized are supposed to have some form of active tuberculosis, and the fact alone demands that the greatest care and precision characterize the treatment accorded

  1. ↑ See page 284.
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