316 
GUATEMALA. 
apothecary rather than the physician, is enormous in 
proportion to the population. Vital statistics are not 
obtained with the greatest accuracy, and only the con¬ 
stant care of the superior officer enables any result worthy 
of attention to be obtained. The following table is tol¬ 
erably accurate. The population is, as estimated on De¬ 
cember 31 : — 
Years. 
Population. 
Births. 
Deaths. 
Increase. 
Marriages. 
Males. 
Females. 
Total. 
Males. 
Females. 
Total. 
1881 
1,252,497 
28,146 
25,708 
53,854 
14,019 
11,940 
25,959 
27,895 
4,611 
1882 
1,276,961 
29,362 
26,697 
56,059 
16,728 
14,867 
31,595 
24,464 
4,864 
1883 
1,278,311 
28,488 
25,934 
54,422 
28,431 
24,641 
53,072 
1,350 
4,287 
1884 
1885 
Of the children born in 1883, 41,260 were legitimate, 
and 13,162 natural; 16,991 were ladinos, and 37,431 
Indios. The legitimate children were in the proportion 
of one to every one hundred and twenty-eight of the 
ladino population, and one to every forty-one of the 
Indios. The natural births stand one to each one hun¬ 
dred and eighty-three ladinos, and one to each two 
hundred and seven Indios, — proportions which speak 
volumes for the superior morality of the indigenous 
population. 
No less than nine hospitals were supported by the 
Government in 1883, — one each in Antigua, Amatitlan, 
Escuintla, Quezaltenango, Retalhuleu, and Chiquimula, 
and three in Guatemala City. In these 11,998 patients 
were treated during the year, with the result of one death 
to every thirteen treated. Of the diseases from which 
