FLORIDA SEMINOLE AGENCY.


perform the greater part of the work about the camps, but not as
menials; for indeed, they are quite independent, and are the finan-
ciers of the home.
 The Seminole children are, almost perfect models of parental
 control, such a thing as willful disobedience being of rare occurrence.
 The authority of the parents is maintained without the harshness
 and severity common m many white families, obedience being ren-
 dered as a tribute to family law and not through fear of punishment.
 The house is a shacklike structure suited to the semitropical
 country. Every Seminole has a house; as soon as a child is able to
 care for its own simplest needs, it occupies a house separate from its
 mother. The- wife has her home and the husband has his, and they
 occupy their respective homes, each living in a separate house.
 In his report made in 1880 to the Bureau of Ethnology, the Rev.
 Clay MacCaulev describes the dress of the Florida Seminoles as
 follows:
 The clothing of the Seminoles at this time was scanty. The males usually wore a
 cotton or calico shirt, belted at the waist, and reaching within several inches of the
 knees. A kerchief alout the neck, and a turban made of one or more bright colored
 shawls, folded and wound several times about the head, with ends neatly tucked away,
 completed the dre.s.
 The women wore a skirt, with short waist of calico or gingham, but no covering
 for head or feet.
 This description holds for the camp dress of these Indians at the
present time. Their common attire is unlike that of any other
inhabitants of America. However, the clothing of the whites appeals
to the young men of the tribes. At home or on a hunting trip the
young man is content to go without covering for his legs or feet,
but when he visits a white community, he puts on shoes and trousers
if he has them.
 HEALTH.

 The Seminole Indians of Florida are known as the most healthy
tribe in the United States. Dr. O. S. Phillips (United States Indian
Service), who made a health survey of these Indians, said in part:
 The Seminole Indians suffer less from the ravages of disease than any tribe I have
ever visited.
 The only disease of any consequence found among them is hookworm, which, if
those infected could be congregated a little closer and given systematic treatment,
could be eradicated in a comparatively short time, though, of course, there is always
danger of reinfection.
 The excellent health enjoyed by these people is, I believe, due to the fact that they
live in the open air all the time, day and night.
 Scattered through the wilderness as they are, with few roads or trails, it would be
impossible for regularly employed physicians to work among them.
 Dr. R. E. L. Newberne, chief medical supervisor, United States
Indian Service, inspected the work among the Florida Seminoles dur-
ing the month of March, 1921, and the following is taken from his
report:
 It is said that the Florida Seminoles are free from tuberculosis. I.hope they are,
but the assertion is too good to accept without question. It is also said that venereal
disease is unknown among them. I can accept that as a fact. An arrange-
ment to have medical attention rendered by the nearest available physician is being
followed. Some of the Indians are so isolated that a physician can not get to them
when they are ill. Those who are able to travel-and a Seminole has to be very ill
if he can not travel-usually seek a physician and Maj. Spencer pays the cost.