Although the United States attorney for the southern division of the Indian Territory had reported that no intoxicating liquors were being sold within his jurisdiction, the first place touched by Special Agent Brewster-Ardmore, in the Chickasaw Nation-was found to be infested with liquor dealers. A number of saloons were running in open violation of the law, and he seized there some 206 barrels of bottled beer in the possession of two wholesale dealers. The condition was found to be but little better at other towns in that nation. A number of persons were arrested by reason of the evidence obtained by Mr. Brewster, and many have been convicted and sent to the penitentiary.

The most serious disclosure was the fact that some of the officers of the court were frequently intoxicated, especially one United States commissioner by the name of Kean, at Purcell, Chickasaw Nation, who, at the time of the investigation, arrived at Purcell to hold court in such a state of intoxication as to be unable to perform his duties. This man was removed by Judge Townsend when the matter was laid before him by Special Agent Brewster, as were also two other persons, members of the bar at that place. It also appeared from this investigation that the only person at Wynnwood who had authority to suppress the liquor traffic and to make arrests therefor was an Indian policeman by the name of Walner, and he was found by Mr. Brewster in such a state of intoxication as to be hardly able to walk. This man was summarily dismissed by order of this office as soon as the facts were ascertained.

Complaints have been received from the superintendent in charge of the Florida Seminole Indians of the traffic in intoxicating liquors with these Indians, and steps have been taken through the Department of Justice to suppress it. These reports came to hand some months ago, and no further complaints have since been received.

At Devils Lake Agency a very unfortunate case occurred in connection with the drinking of some lemon extract purchased by Indians of that agency at a place near the reservation. With a report dated April 20, 1898, Mr. F. O. Getchell, agent at Devils Lake, transmitted to this office a sample of lemon extract, with the statement that of three Indians who drank some of it, one had died, and the others had lost their sight and were otherwise suffering severely. The matter was submitted to the Department April 30, 1898, with the recommendation that the Department of Justice be requested to issue instructions to the United States attorney for North Dakota to endeavor to secure the punishment of the parties furnishing the extract to the Indians if suf ficient evidence could be produced to bring the matter within the statutes prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors to Indians. A sample of the lemon extract was inclosed to be forwarded to the Agricultural Department, with the request that it be analyzed, and later a larger quantity of the extract was obtained for the use of the chemist.

August 8, 1898, the Secretary of Agriculture reported the result of the analysis, from which it was shown that wood spirit was used in the manufacture of the extract. His letter is as follows:

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,

Washington, D. C., August 8, 1898.

SIR: I have the honor to report the following results of an investigation made in the chemical division of this Department of a sample of lemon extract purchased at Minnewaukon, N. Dak., and which was sent to us as of the same kind that caused the death of an Indian at the Devils Lake Agency at Fort Totten, N. Dak.

The alcohol was distilled off from a small portion of the sample, and the residue obtained was administered to a dog, after dilution with water. There was no effect whatever, showing the nonpoisonous nature of the nonvolatile portion of the material. The quantity given to the dog was equivalent to more than a pint for a man weighing 130 to 140 pounds.

An attempted determination of the percentage of alcohol in the extract gave such an unusual result that it was evident that some other substance beside ordinary grain alcohol formed the basis or solvent of the extract. A careful test by the most approved methods was therefore made for methyl alcohol (wood spirit), with the following result: The first test was the oxidation test, by means of which there should be formed, in the presence of ordinary ethyl alcohol, ethyl aldehyd, which has a characteristic odor and reduces silver nitrate but slightly under the conditions of the experiment. In the presence of methyl alcohol formic acid is formed, which reduces silver nitrate very abundantly. The test was made not only with the sample of lemon extract, but also with samples of methyl and ethyl alcohol of known purity. There was decided evidence of the formation of formic acid in the case of the sample of lemon extract, both from its characteristic odor and from the marked reduction of silver nitrate, showing the presence of methyl alcohol in the original material.

The latest and perhaps best test for methyl alcohol, in the possible presence of ethyl alcohol, is that of A. Lam, reported in the Zeitschrift für Angewandte Chemie, February 8, 1898, page 125. This process consists in the conversion of the methy alcohol into methyl iodid and the ethyl alcohol into ethyl iodid, purifying the prod uct, and determining its specific gravity. Mr. William H. Krug, who performed th laboratory work, carefully prepared a sample of iodid of the unknown alcohol rad cle contained in the lemon extract, and also iodids from samples of methyl and eth alcohol of known purity. Of these preparations, the careful determination w made of the specific gravity and boiling points. The results, both of the lem extract and of the pure materials, are shown in the following table:

The boiling point of methyl iodid, reported by Bernstein, is 44° C., and that of iodid 72.34°. These results show that the alcohol contained in the lemon extrac probably all methyl alcohol. The nature of the solvent used in the preparat the lemon extract which caused the death of the Indian at Fort Totten is the very evident. The quantity of the material available was not sufficient to dete the degree of purity of the wood spirit which had been used in the preparat the extract. While wood spirit in its crude form is very poisonous, its pois properties are largely due to the impurities contained in it, and not to the methyl

hol, which forms its prominent ingredient. The degree of refinement of the article used, therefore, is important, and it is to be regretted that enough of the material might not have been had to determine this point.

Of interest in this connection is the case of poisoning by drinking lemon extract, which occurred in the last ten days at Ripley, W. Va. An inquiry has been sent there in regard to the name of the physician who attended the case, with the hope of obtaining for your use a statement of the symptoms exhibited by the gentleman who died from the use of lemon extract.

Also of interest are the cases of poisoning which occurred recently at Camp Alger from the use of methyl alcohol. A request has been sent to the Secretary of War for a statement of the medical officers in charge in regard to the symptoms exhibited by the soldiers who had drunk the wood spirit.

Any further information which these inquiries may bring will be forwarded to you promptly on its arrival.

Respectfully,

The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

JAMES WILSON, Secretary.

A copy of the foregoing letter was transmitted August 24, 1898, to the Department with recommendation that it be forwarded to the Department of Justice in connection with previous correspondence on this subject.

From the special report of Maj. William H. Devine, brigade surgeon, First Division Hospital, Second Army Corps, the following extract relating to cases of poisoning from drinking wood alcohol by soldiers at Camp Alger, referred to in the above letter from the Secretary of Agriculture, has been furnished this office by the Department of Agriculture, viz:

Cases Nos. 3 and 4.-Privates John Shiffen and John J. Lee, Company G, Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, were admitted soon after noon on July 25, 1898, with symptoms of acute poisoning. Both men were able to walk into the ward and admitted, when confronted with the query, that they had, in lieu of whisky, drank wood alcohol diluted with water and sweetened. Shiffen and Lee were but two of a number of privates in this regiment who drank this concoction, but having indulged in it to much greater degree than almost any of the others they were more seriously affected. One of their companions did, however, die in his regimental hospital. The symptoms which these two men presented were gastric pain of an acute character, relieved at times by cessation of the pain; almost persistent vomiting, dryness of the mouth and throat, though the tongue and buchal cavity seemed moist. An inordinate and insatiable desire for water, which is characteristic of poisoning cases of this class, was noticeable in both men, who drank eagerly the water that was given them, only to vomit it a few moments after its reception into the stomach. Temperature of both men normal when admitted and did not rise above 99° at any time. The speech quite coherent, but the eyes with dilated pupils, incapable of recognizing either persons or things only a few feet distant. Shiffen, after an awful struggle, in which he tossed about incessantly, crying all the while for water, gradually sank into unconsciousness, in which state he died at 7.30 p. m. the same day. For an hour before death he was almost pulseless, heart dicrotic, and toward the last Cheyne-Stokes breathing.

Lee died at 2 a. m. on the morning of the 26th, after evidencing practically the same effects of the poisoning as did Shiffen. His temperature at 9 o'clock p. m., five hours before death, registered 93.4°, but after the application of hot-water bags rose to 95.3°. It is believed that both men died from an acute nephritis, although no necropsy was permitted. Both men, it was learned, had been drinking the wood

alcohol for two days before admission, but no alarming symptoms made their appearance until the conclusion of thirty-six hours' time. Shiffen died six hours after admission and Lee thirteen hours after.

Treatment: Before admission, strychnia hypodermatically for stimulation and bismuth and egg albumen as a sedative and antemetic; at First Division Hospital, strychnia, hot-water bags, friction, emulcents, etc.

WILLIAM H. DEVINE,
Major and Brigade Surgeon,
Surgeon in charge First Division Hospital.

ALLOTMENTS AND PATENTS.

The progress made in allotment work since the last annual report is as follows:

ON RESERVATIONS.

During the year patents have been issued and delivered to the following Indians:

Sioux of the Crow Creek Reservation, S. Dak..

10

Sioux of the Devils Lake Reservation, N. Dak. (including three
previously issued, but not delivered)

Mission Indians on the Temecula Reservation, Cal

Omahas, Nebraska.

Sac and Fox of the Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

Winnebagoes, Nebraska..

5

Chippewas, Lake Superior, Lac Court d'O'Reilles Reservation, Wis.
Yakimas, Washington....

18

1,713

Allotments have been approved by this office and the Department and patents are now being prepared in the General Land Office for the following Indians:

Chippewas of Wisconsin, Bad River Reservation...
Sioux of the Devils Lake Reservation, N. Dak............

135

260

Indians of the Hoopa Valley extension (connecting strip) California. 478 Schedules of the following allotments have been received in this office, but have not been finally acted upon:

Sioux, Rosebud Reservation, S. Dak..

Chippewas, Lac du Flambeau Reservation, Wis..

The condition of the work in the field is as follows:

844

135

Otoe Reservation, Okla.-The schedule of allotments made to the Oto and Missouria Indians, which had been submitted for Departmen approval April 6, 1895, was returned November 4, 1897, with instru tions that Special Allotting Agent Helen P. Clarke be directed to pr ceed to the Ponca Agency and, in connection with the agent, adju existing difficulties in regard to these allotments. Instructions we accordingly submitted for Department approval November 12, 189 and Miss Clarke soon after entered upon duty. Up to the 30th of Ju she had made 191 allotments; the number of allotments on the previo schedule was 395. The persistent opposition of a large faction of t tribe to the holding of lands in severalty renders the progress of t work slow and tedious.

Klamath Reservation, Oreg.-The work on this reservation has been continued by Special Agent John K. Rankin, who prior to July 23 last had made 305 allotments, which, added to the 755 made by Special Agent Worden, makes a total of 1,060, or 42 more than the total number of Indians of the reservation as given in the last annual report. Doubtless many absentees have returned to the reservation in order to claim their right to an allotment thereon. It is thought that the field work should be completed at an early date.

By decision of the circuit court of the United States, published in full on page of this report, the lands in this reservation which are covered by the grant to the State of Oregon have been declared subject to allotment to Indians.

Umatilla Reservation, Oreg.-May 4, 1897, this office instructed Agent Harper, of the Umatilla Agency, to allow certain Indians, some 40 or 50 in number, who were not present when allotments were made to the Indians on the Umatilla Reservation, to make selections of lands to be allotted them there. Agent Harper failed to complete this work before his successor, Mr. Wilkins, was appointed, and May 28 last this office instructed Agent Wilkins to take up the work where Mr. Harper left off and carry it to conclusion. Agent Wilkins has not yet submitted his report.

Lower Brulé Reservation, S. Dak.-It was stated in the last annual report that about 550 of the Lower Brulé Sioux had gone to the Rosebud Reservation, S. Dak., and that it was expected that these Indians would finally be settled on that reservation, south of and near White River, where they had formerly resided. Also that, in view of the removal of these Indians, it would be necessary to readjust the allotments made to the Indians remaining on the Lower Brulé Reservation. Under a clause contained in the Indian appropriation act of 1897, Inspector James McLaughlin was sent to South Dakota to negotiate agreements between the Lower Brulé and Rosebud Indians for the surrender by the latter to the former of the lands selected by the Lower Brulés south of White River.

Agreements were concluded by him by which the differences between those two bands of Indians were adjusted, and a bill to ratify these agreements was drafted by this office and introduced into the Senate (Senate bill 4623, Fifty-fifth Congress, second session), and was favorably reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. A full history of this matter, with agreements, reports, council proceedings, map, etc., may be found in House Doc. No. 447, Fifty-fifth Congress, second session. For further information, see also Senate Report No. 1266 of the same session.

When these agreements shall have been ratified by Congress, steps will be taken to readjust allotments on the Lower Brulé Reservation, and also to make allotments to the Lower Brulés located on the Rosebud Reservation.

Rosebud Reservation, S. Dak.—The work on this reservation has continued during the year under the direction of Special Agent William