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.
In order to do so, the society established a number of small herds in widely separated parts of the country. This helped save the species from extinction. Along with the efforts of American Bison Society, Congress began to take action to protect the remaining bison, and private ranchers started to create small herds. Slowly, the population crept up thanks to legal protection, refuges and breeding programs at zoos and other institutions.