Survival of the spirit

After the United States imprisoned the Chiricahua Apaches in damp, humid regions of the East, contagious diseases devastated this group of Native Americans. Numerous books have been written about Geronimo's infamous band, but none have focused specifically on the Chiricahua Apaches' healing practices, or on the dramatic effects captivity had on the health of these first Americans. In clear and precise prose, the author addresses the medical maladies suffered by the Chiricahuas while they were incarcerated for nearly thirty years. By harvesting information from diverse and often obscure sources, Stockel describes the arrival of the Chiricahua Apaches in the Southwest, their use of natural medicines, and their reliance on cultural customs and sacred ceremonies to promote healing. She provides the reader with a thorough background on the most contagious ailments of the Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo frontier-folk, including popular and often amusing remedies. Records of "the white man's diseases" that assaulted the Chiricahua Apaches during their confinement have been painstakingly researched by the author from data at the imprisonment sites in Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma. Her interviews with contemporary Chiricahua Apaches present their points of view about the experiences of their imprisoned ancestors and add an important dimension to the author's primary research accounts. Survival of the Spirit contains many previously unpublished photographs. Stockel's book, the first full-length study of the medical catastrophes endured by the Chiricahua Apache prisoners of war, makes a significant contribution to Native American history.