Chapter XXVI. 



Goats and the Malta FeVer, 



THE " Malta Fever," or more properly Mediterranean 

 Fever for it is not restricted to that island is a matter 

 of such vast importance, closely connected as it is with 

 the goat and its produce, and especially having been the 

 subject of careful investigation and research by a Com- 

 mission in recent years (1904-6), that it is very desirable 

 that some information on the disease and the enquiry 

 should be included in this book. The brief particulars I 

 am .able to give are culled from lectures delivered before 

 the Royal College of Physicians of London on 5th, loth, 

 and 1 2th March, 1908, by Dr. J. W. H. Eyre, Bacteriolo- 

 gist to Guy's Hospital, and a member of the advisory 

 board of the Mediterranean Fever Commission, the 

 lectures having been since published in handbook form. I 

 am also able to include some interesting details given to 

 me personally by Dr. Eyre, to whom 1 am in consequence 

 much indebted. 



It is scarcefy necessary to state that the Commission 

 was appointed on account of the numerous cases of 

 this peculiar fever that had raged for many years among 

 the troops stationed on the island, and which it is said 

 has been responsible not only for many deaths, but " for 

 a total loss to the combined Army and Navy on the Medi- 

 terranean station of at least 75,000 days' sickness per 



