378 Major W. H. Horrocks. Goats as a [July, 
June 18 about 5 cc. of blood was taken from Goat No. 6 and distributed in 
six broth-tubes. On June 25 passages from the broth-tubes were made on to 
agar slopes, and the J/. melitensis recovered in pure culture. This micro- 
organism was also recovered from the blood of Goat No. 5. Blood was also 
taken from Goats Nos. 1, 2, and 3, but so far the M. melitensis has not been 
recovered. 
Material from Abattoir—Dr. Caruana Scicluna having suggested that 
possibly infected goats might be met with in the abattoir, I have examined 
46 spleens, and have recovered the JM. melitensis from one. The blood of 
seven of these goats gave a positive reaction to the agglutination test. 
Preliminary Note on Goats as a Means of Propagation of 
Mediterranean Fever. 
By Major W. H. Horrocks, R.A.M.C., Member of the Mediterranean 
Fever Commission. 
(Communicated by Colonel Bruce, C.B., F.R.S.—Received July, 1905.) 
With the object of ascertaining, by experimental inoculation, whether 
goats could be infected by the J. melitensis, six goats were bought on 
June 12, 1905, from two different herds, and placed in the lazaretto. On 
June 14 Dr. Zammit, as a preliminary step to our experimental work, took 
blood from each of these goats, and proceeded to test the action of the serum 
on the MZ. melitensis. He found, to his great surprise, that the serum of five 
of the goats, when considerably diluted, caused agglutination of this microbe. 
On June 15 similar results being again obtained, Dr. Zammit brought 
specimens of the bloods to the Public Health Laboratory, and asked me to 
confirm his observations. I obtained the following results :— 
Goat No. 1.—Blood serum diluted 1 to 10 and 1 to 40 caused immediate 
agglutination of the IM. melitensis, visible to the naked 
eye. When diluted 1 to 100, however, the serum gave no 
reaction. 
Goat No. 2.—Blood serum diluted 1 to 10 and 1 to 40 caused immediate 
agglutination of the M. melitensis. A dilution of 1 to 
100 produced a complete reaction after 15 minutes. 
