190 TBINIDAD. 



with regular medical attendance and medicines, but the sick were 

 properly nursed, and the young carefully reared. Indeed, self- 

 interest alone would induce such measures. At present, the 

 labouring population, in the mass, receive no direct medical 

 attendance, because of their own unwillingness to remunerate a 

 regular practitioner : in lieu of this, they prefer the assistance of 

 a class of impostors, both male and female, who unite the 

 practices of obeahism and quackery, exact little or nothing from 

 their patients, and are generally satisfied both with the amount 

 and mode of payment tendered for the nostrums they administer, 

 or the obeah incantations they perform. Again, when sick, very 

 many of the labouring class are, solely through previous improvi- 

 dence, in need of everything in the shape of comfort not 

 unfrequently even of the simple covering of a blanket. As to 

 children, they are neglected to an extent which would not be 

 credited elsewhere. 



However, the people located on estates are, in these respects, 

 in a better position, and the mortality is not so great among them 

 as with those living in villages, or on their own small properties. 

 It is also but just to take into account the risks of acclimatisation, 

 to which the immigrants are subject, and which must necessarily 

 increase the rate of mortality. The casualties resulting from this 

 cause become apparent from the following facts: the rate of 

 mortality being 1 per 30*20 for the whole population, is 1 per 

 33*19 among females, and 1 per 27*56 among males; and of 

 the latter sex are more than three-fourths of the immigrants. I 

 repeat that this state of things calls for the consideration of 

 the philosophic philanthropist, but particularly of our local 

 Government. 



RELIGION. Although Christianity is the professed religion 

 of almost the entire population, yet immigration has been 

 instrumental in introducing Mahometans, Gentoos, and other 

 heathen sects. The religious community may be divided as 

 follows : 



Christians 65,053 



Mahometans 1,016 



Gentoos and others 3,531 



69,600 



