the Editor of the "NoariCuina Daty News"
Sm—With the recent mild outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in the Settlement and Concession, it is somewhat alarming to consider the prospects for keeping epidemics under control when the hot weather its is invariably stated that the infectious diseases are caused by. the influx of refugees and that they Jare to be found in the refugee camps particularly. 'This may be so to a large extent, but at the same time the refugee' camps are under constant surveillance by the hygiene and medical authorities, and therefore the [chances are that nothing very serious in the way of epidemics will occur Jduring the summer in the properly-
The same cannot be said for the beggar camps which are not in exist-fence as a result of hostilities, but which have disgraced our foreign. areas for many a long day and which Jare veritable breeding spots. disease.
During the past fortnight T have watched a new beggars' town coming, into existence at the corner of Avenue Haig and Rockhill Avenue, just this side of the bridge crossing the Jereek, This awful den of filth has no sanitation of any description and no footways and the imagination—can appreciate what it will be like when the hot and wet weather arrives. Beggars are arriving in goodly num= bers dally and hurriedly. erecting, their horrible huts and this is within Jo few yards of foreign residences Jand apartment houses, These are the camps that produce Jdiseases and are a serious menace to the health of the community and It fs time that the authorities combined with the Chinese who are supposed to be administering the outside roads areas, to have all beggars bordering on Settlement roads removed and thus do away with a eonstant menace to the health of the Jcommunity.
Shanghai, Mar. 19,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.