In 1843 physician John G. F. Wurdemann traveled to Cuba and witnessed the production of sugar on one of the many plantations there. After detailing the importance of sugar to the local economy, Wurdemann describes the different methods of sugar production and the conditions in which enslaved men work. Wurdemann details the different types of labor done in different seasons, the living conditions of enslaved laborers, and the productive environment created by those conditions. Although Wurdemann details the difficulties faced by enslaved workers, he does not advocate for better treatment of those workers.