Tag: health

General History, Siletz ReservationLeave a comment

Remarkably Good Health … except for the deaths; Siletz Health report 1863

David G. Lewis, PhD

Reservation Health Reports previous to the 1870’s are fairly rare. there are about two reports a year for each reservation. The annual reports also have some health information, but its generally very brief. The best indicator for the first two decades of the reservations are the census reports. there as a dramatic decline in population for about 15 years. In other essays on this blog I have noted that its likely that some tribes, those from southern Oregon, were insulated from some diseases, being remotely located in the mountains, and only when they removed to the reservations, and began regularly … Continue reading Remarkably Good Health … except for the deaths; Siletz Health report 1863

Anthropology, Grand Ronde Reservation, Oral HistoryLeave a comment

Indifference to the Needs of the Tribes: Testimony of William Miller, Physician at Grand Ronde, 1862

David G. Lewis, PhD

In 1862, there remained many problems at the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. Problems of food and shelter, medicine and education where not solved yet. The seven treaties of western Oregon were ratified by 1856 (Molalla treaty is an outlier at 1859), and they all promised services for the tribes who removed, including education, food, shelter, and other services. In fact, the ratification of the treaties provided directed funds for just these purposes. Education had its own line item in the annual budgets for each treaty. Yet the Agents at the reservation were unable to get a school or adequate medical … Continue reading Indifference to the Needs of the Tribes: Testimony of William Miller, Physician at Grand Ronde, 1862

General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Oregon indians, Rogue Valley, Willamette Valley2 Comments

A Hot Bed of Disease and Death, Anson G. Henry Physician at Grand Ronde

David G. Lewis, PhD

In 1857, Doctor Anson G. Henry wrote a report on the health conditions at Grand Ronde. A few days before he had written another report, a table of the disease and death counts for the reservation for the past three months, (October-December 1856). His account is perhaps the most detailed of the health reports of the early reservations in Oregon. Henry was a great long-term personal friend to President Lincoln who helped him gain appointments in the Washington Territory. In 1852 Henry came on the Oregon Trail with his wife and five children to settle in Lafayette Oregon. Henry set … Continue reading A Hot Bed of Disease and Death, Anson G. Henry Physician at Grand Ronde

General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Native Issues, Oregon indians, Siletz Reservation, Uncategorized9 Comments

Sickness Issues from the Trumpet: Health Conditions at the Early Western Oregon Reservations

David G. Lewis, PhD

“The Doctress said she distinctly saw the sickness that afflicted the tribes issue from the Trumpet which I sounded to announce the hour of school, and settle like a mist upon the camp; and should I sound it, in a few days all the Indians would be in their graves- The camp desolate! I was not such a monster as to sound it again, so the Indians “still live”. “John Ostrander When the western Oregon tribes were removed to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation in 1856 they were already greatly reduced in population. Anthropologist’s have estimated that from 90 to … Continue reading Sickness Issues from the Trumpet: Health Conditions at the Early Western Oregon Reservations

General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Native Issues, Oregon indians, Rogue Valley, Siletz Reservation11 Comments

Removal and Decline of the Rogue River Tribes at Reservations

David G. Lewis, PhD

In 1856, all of the tribes from the interior of western Oregon removed to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. This was a plan created by Oregon Indian Superintendent Joel Palmer after the outbreak of new hostilities in southern Oregon in 1855. Faced with the prospect of a huge war in southern Oregon, and the probable extermination of many tribes, Palmer worked with the US Army to find another temporary valley, away from American settlers, where he could temporarily settle over 2000 Indians until the planned Coast Indian reservation was developed and built-up enough to house the tribes. The Rogue River tribes, … Continue reading Removal and Decline of the Rogue River Tribes at Reservations