The work of organizing some method of control over this large population was commenced early in the year and, with the ce-operation of the Public Works Department and Police, systematic sanitary measures were introduced for dealing with drainage, refuse and ordure removal.
As the supply of water was mainly from shallow wells and constituted a serious menace to health, an arrangement was made with the Shanghai Waterworks Company to supply water to squatter-hut dwellers by opening certain street hydrants for an agreed period every day. Many of the squatters are of the indigent class, though others were forced to live under these conditions through lack of suitable accommodation elsewhere. A number of offensive trades are located in these squatter sections such as piggeries, rag-sorting, bone-storage, bristle drying and tanneries.
It was found that once control was obtained many nuisances were abated and on the whole squatters cooperated with the Department when they realized that it was to th benefit to improve their sanitary vironment—17,718 inoculations against cholera were carried out and it is gratifying to be able to state that diseases in the squatter-hut areas never reached uncontrollable proportions.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.