18 



Colonel David Bruce 



[Jan. 24, 



Summary of Epidemiological Evidence. 



What, then, have we learned from the stndv of this fever from 

 the general point of view ? 



We have found that Malta fever depends on no local conditions, 

 as it occurs in many parts of the world. It cannot have any great 

 dependence on cUmatic conditions, as it occurs in the cool and rainy 

 months almost as frequently as in the hot, dusty and rainless. 



Map of Malta and Gozo. showing tbe Distribution. of Malta Fever id the various Towns and 

 Villages o< the two Islands 



Fig. 3. — Incidence in Civil Population. 



Poverty and insanitary surroundings do not predispose ; in fact, 

 the well-to-do classes have been shown to be more liable to take the 

 fever than the poor. It has no connection with water supply or 

 systems of drainage, as it breaks out as frequently in the smallest 

 country villages as in the large cities. 



What then, is the cause of this fever ? 



