BISMARCK, ND Sherman Iron Shield used to sneak his son behind some elevators at St. Alexius Medical Center so he could burn sacred herbs to chase away evil spirits without setting off the hospital's fire alarms and sprinklers. He believes that the practice, known as smudging, along with modern medicine, helped his son, George, recover from a gunshot wound in his head more than 10 years ago. "My son is still alive," Iron Shield said. Now he and other members of the region's large American Indian population can follow their traditions without worrying about the fire alarms. On Thursday, the...