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.
For settlers of the Plains region, bison hunting served as a way to increase their economic stake in the area. Trappers and traders made their living selling buffalo fur; in the winter of 1872-1873, more than 1.5 million buffalo were put onto trains and moved eastward.