ROMAY, Tomas (ro-lni'), Cuban physician, born in Havana in 1769 ; died there in 1849. He studied in his native city, was graduated in medicine in 1791, and soon afterward was appointed to a professorship in the University of Havana. In 1798 he published an interesting memoir on the yellow fever, which was soon translated into English and French and is still one of the best essays on the subject. The Madrid academy of medicine made him one of its honorary members. In 1802 he published a memoir against the custom of burying the dead in churches and cities, and advocated the establishment of a public cemetery outside of Havana, which was carried into effect soon afterward. In 1804 he published another memoir advocating the introduction of vaccine virus in the island of Cuba. The members of his family were the first that were vaccinated, and during forty-five years he was one of the most constant advocates of vaccination. In 1808 he published also an extensive memoir on the culture and propagation of apiaries, contributing in great part to the development of this industry in the island. During the first cholera epidemic in Havana, in 1833, Romay devoted all his time and energy to restraining the disease, and published several pamphlets upon the subject. The Madrid government rewarded his services by appointing him honorary physician of the royal chamber, a distinction that, was very seldom conferred in those times, tie was also elected director of the Royal economical society of Havana, and in this capacity gave his attention to the promotion of public education by the foundation of public schools. Besides the publications noticed above, he was the author of '" Conjuraclon de Bonaparte (1808), and his complete works were published after his death (Havana, 1858).