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The large number in Habana province, amounting to very nearly one-half of all patients, is significant only as it illustrates the provision for the sick existing in that province and mainly in the city of Habana. Of the 2,048 patients in hospitals of Habana province, 1,961 were in those of the city of Habana.

Of the 4,124 patients, no fewer than 3,195, or 77.5 per cent, were males, and only 929, or 22.5 per cent, were females. This is due, in part, to the fact that the great proportion of the sick in hospitals are of foreign birth, a class composed mainly of the male sex. Moreover, among those of Cuban birth, the practice of sending the sick to the hospital is less prevalent in the case of women than in the case of men.

Nearly all of the patients are adults, only 162, or less than 4 per cent, being below the age of 15. This is due, in part, to the large proportion of foreign born in hospitals, and in part to the manifest disposition to treat sick children at home.

The proportion of whites is greater and that of the colored, including blacks and mestizos, is less than the corresponding proportions in the population, while the proportion of the yellow race is far greater. Practically all of the individuals in this last class are of foreign birth and are in Cuba without their families; hence, when sickness overtakes them, they go, of necessity, to the hospital. The same is true, though in smaller measure, of the whites among the foreign born.

THE INSANE.

There is only one hospital for the insane in Cuba, but that is a very large one, located at Santiago de las Vegas, in Habana province. On September 30, 1907, this contained 1,782 patients, classified as 982 males and 800 females, the excess of males being due to the excess of males among the foreign born. The following table classifies the insane by sex and by color:

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The proportion of colored in the hospital for the insane is much greater than their corresponding proportions in the population; that is, while the colored form about one-third of the population, they form not less than 44 per cent of the inmates of this asylum. Since it is probable that the proportion of colored insane in confinement is smaller than the corresponding proportion of white insane, it follows that insanity is much more prevalent among the colored than among the whites.

It will also be noted that in the case of the whites, males outnumber females in the proportion of 60 to 40, while in the case of the blacks, females outnumber the males in the proportion of 56 to 44. In the case of the mestizos, the numbers are about equal. In the case of the Chinese, there are no females, this condition being due, of course, to the fact that there are practically no Chinese women in the island.

Very few of the insane confined in the asylum were below the age of 15

years. For all ages under 65 years, the number of males is greater than that

of females.

Of the whole number whose country of birth is known, 82 per cent were born in Cuba and 18 per cent were born abroad, mainly in Spain. The proportion of insane born abroad is greater than the corresponding proportion of the population. Among Cubans, the number of males is very nearly equal to the number of females, but of the foreign born, the excess of males is great, 212 to 61, being doubtless due to the excess of males among the foreign born population in the island.

Of those concerning whom information was obtained, 41 per cent were able to read. The proportion for the males was 46 per cent, while that for the females was only 36 per cent.

TRANSPORTATION BY RAILROADS AND

STEAMSHIP LINES.

RAILROADS.

Cuba was the second country in America to operate a steam road, being in this respect eleven years in advance of the mother country, Spain.

The first Cuban railroad was opened to traffic on November 19, 1837. It was built under the auspices of the Junta de fomento de la Habana (improvement board of Habana) and was known as the Caminos de Hierro de la Habana (Railroads of Habana). This road was about 45 miles in length and connected the capital with the town of Güines.

After it had been in operation for four years it was sold by the Government to a corporation, and this fact served to encourage the building of railroads by other corporations.

The spirit of enterprise being thus stimulated, the first sections of the principal lines now in operation were soon constructed, and these furnished outlets for agricultural products to the most important ports of the island. On September 1, 1908, the total distance covered by the railroad lines of Cuba was 2,329.8 miles. The following statement, furnished by Hon. J. Charles Hernandez, Director General of Communications, of Cuba, shows the various railroads with the length and termini of each branch:

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COASTWISE STEAMSHIP LINES.

Several lines of coastwise steamships ply regularly between various Cuban ports, carrying mail, passengers, and freight; the following list shows the termini of these lines:

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Habana is one of the termini in the case of the following steamship lines connecting the ports of Cuba with those of foreign countries:

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The following lines have steamers stopping at Habana on the way from one port to another:

LINE.

Compañía Transatlántica Francesa..

Hamburg-American Line..

New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Company..

Royal English Mail..

Termini.

Spain, France, and Mexico.
Hamburg, Germany, and Mexico.
New York, N. Y., and Mexico.
Canary Islands and Mexico.

In addition to the steamships of the regular lines enumerated, the ports of Cuba are frequently visited by tramp steamers or sailing vessels, which come from and depart for the principal ports of Europe and America.

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