CHAPTER VIII 



PROGRESS 



THE moustiquiers, or foremen, will soon begin to 

 report that they are finding mosquitos breeding in 

 peculiar places, and that they are puzzled to know 

 how to deal with them. Perhaps one has discovered 

 that a certain house is mosquito-infested because the 

 cesspool has burst, and the sewage is leaking out and 

 has swamped the cellars of that and neighbouring 

 houses. He has discovered that it is a waste of oil 

 to deal with this large expanse of water, but that 

 the mosquitos are breeding there in myriads. If 

 there is any sanitary law in the land this state of 

 affairs should be easily remedied. But in many 

 countries where mosquitos abound there is little 

 sanitary law, or if there is any, it is so drawn up that 

 it cannot be enforced. 



The landlord should be approached. If he can 

 be persuaded to repair the cesspool, all well and 

 good. If he refuses he must be forced to do so. But 

 suppose, as in Egypt, there is no law to force him. 

 Then he must be talked to seriously. If this has no 

 effect, deal with him " tactfully," as the diplomatists 

 describe it. Induce his tenants to write to him and 



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