The act was first passed on May 5, 1832.
Lewis Cass,
Secretary of War, designed the act. Members of Congress appropriated US$12,000 (approximately $ in current money) to vaccinate them. By February 1, 1833, more than 17,000 Indians had been vaccinated. However, not everyone was included. As a result, a few years later, smallpox killed 90% of the
Mandan Indians, who had been excluded from the act. It also excluded
Hidatsas and
Arikaras. ==See also==