Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body's tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune system.
What role did the bison or buffalo play in the culture of the Plains Indians? The bison were an important source of fur, food, and shelter for the Plains Indians. They used every part of the animals they killed. Bison were also an important part of their culture.
They hunted big game like buffalo, elk, deer, and antelope or small game like rabbits. The Plains Indian tribes wanted guns, but did not use them while hunting buffalo from horseback. Their shots were more accurate with a bow and arrow or a lance.  The Plains Indians had become a horse and bison culture by the 1800s. They learned how to adapt to the land, and follow the buffalo.