Back then tropical diseases such as malaria and cholera were rampant on the island, and sanitation was poor. William K. Burton, a Brit, had been hired to oversee the establishment of water and sewage facilities. Unfortunately, he ended up contracting malaria himself and died sailing back home to Britain. Burton's responsibilities were passed to his Japanese protege Mishiro Hamano.
當時台灣瘧疾、霍亂等疫癘橫行，衛生條件極差，總督府遠從英國聘請水利專家巴爾頓來台建設自來水和衛生排水設施，後來巴爾頓因感染瘧疾，不幸於返英途中去世，重責交由他的日籍得意門生濱野彌四郎扛下。