12 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



NOTES FROM ALL SOURCES 



MORTALITY OF CUBAN CHILDREN 



[From the report of Dr. J. A. I.opez de! \'alle, 

 local health officer of Havana, 



"In our persistent investigations concern- 

 ing the causes which lead to the high 

 figures observed in the mortality of chil- 

 dren, we had been led to think that the 

 drinking water may be one of the prin- 

 cipal factors. And we found, as the re- 

 sult of the constant and various bacte- 

 riological analysis made by the laboratories 

 ■of the Department of Health and Charities, 

 that pathogenic germs were present in the 

 water supply of the city. Para-typhus, 

 ■coli-communis and pyocyaneus liacilli 

 were, in effect, found in several samples 

 "of water taken. Therefore, this question 

 \vhich had been receiving our most devout 

 attention has been given preference and 

 we have alread\-, in accordance with the 

 ideas and instructions from that ofhce, 

 suggested to the chief engineer of the city 

 and to the engineer in charge of the water 

 supply, the steps which in our judgment 

 should be taken to completer purify our 

 drinking water. 



"There are yet two important questions 

 to be settled in order to arrive at a com- 

 plete and satisfactory solution in our cam- 

 paign against infections. One is tuber- 

 culosis, and the other that which affects 

 the mortality among children, this latter 

 question considered from the point of 

 view that its main causes are gastro- 

 intestinal infections. It is for that reason 

 that we are paying close attention to all that 

 which affects the supply of milk and water, 

 a'l keeping in importance with our ever 

 vigorous campaign against typhoid." 



COMPLETION OF THE ZANJA 



The Citbaii-.liiicricaii of La Gloria has 

 the following to say concerning the com- 

 pletion by the Cuban government of the 

 work of deepening the Zanja: 



"The work of dredging the Zanja (Span- 

 ish for ditch) is completed. It now 

 assumes the more dignihed name of "The 

 Sabinal Canal.' It is to our little world 

 •of the Cubitas Valley v.hat the greater 

 Panama Canal is to the greater world. It 

 was called the Shanghai by the young men 

 of the first Yarmouth and from that day 

 to this it has been the despair of boatmen 

 and voyagers to these co'onifs. It was 

 picturesque in the extreme, with its curv- 

 ing, mangrove shrouded shores, but its 

 beauty is departed. Under the able and 

 energetic management of Sr. Rafael Bena- 

 vides, civil engineer of the government, we 

 now have a deep and wide canal between 

 the two bays on our route between Port 



Viaro and Xuevitas. There is remaining 

 one and a half miles of channel to be deep- 

 ened in the bay, west of the canal, which 

 will soon be completed." 



IMMIGRATION INTO CUBA 



The total number of immigrants to Cuba 

 during 1911 aggregated 38,0.53, of which 

 31,055 were men and 6,998 were women. 

 These immigrants brought into the country 

 an average of $21.82 for each individual. 

 The largest number came from Spain. 

 The immigration from that country being 

 84 1/3 per cent of the total, in other words. 

 32,10-1: of Spanish descent migrated to 

 Cuba. Of this total, 26,724 were men and 

 5,380 women : 3,009 were under 14 years 

 of age ; 27,232 were between 14 and 45 ; 

 and 1,863 were over 45 years of age. 

 According to this, about 85 V-; per cent of 

 the total migration from Spain was of in- 

 dividuals in the vigorous age of life. Sev- 

 enty per cent of the immigration were able 

 to read and write. 



PITCH PINE MARKET CONDITIONS 



During the week ending ]\Iay 25th 

 steamer freights for Cuba are ruling 

 higher, in harmony with the advanced cost 

 of time charters for vessels engaged in the 

 trade, and of the higher rates ruling for 

 schooner deliver}'. Inquiry from Cuba 

 continues backward, but a moderate quan- 

 tity of lumber goes forward from week 

 to week, averaging about the same as in 

 the eariler part of the season. There seems 

 no immediate prospect of improvement, 

 though underlying business conditions are 

 more than usually favorable. — Gulf Coast 

 Record. 



NEW REGULATION FOR EXPLOSIVES 



By a decree of April 24, 1912, the Cuban 

 government established new regulations for 

 the manufacture, storage, transportation, 

 importation, sale and use of explosives, 

 arms and ammunition in Cuba. These 

 regulations took effect on ^lay 24th. 



Only fish of a certain kind are allowed 

 to be caught in Cuban waters, and even in 

 the open season the revenue cutters are 

 kept busy inspecting vessels to see that 

 they have no undersized fish aboard or 

 nets smaller than allowed by the fish 

 commission. 



Special care is taken that dynamite is not 

 used by the fishermen, and when they are 

 found with that explosive severe punish- 

 m;nt is alwaj's meted out. 



