207 
f gave a positive agglutination test, equal to a percentage of 52 prob- 
; ably infected with Mediterranean fever. 
1 The results obtained show that some of the goats in every herd 
examined were sutfering from Mediterranean fever. The M. meliten- 
j| sis is present in the milk in enormous numbers when the disease has 
[■ been present sufSciently long to cause a change in the physical char- 
|: acters of the fluid. It is also excreted in considerable numbers, even 
when the animals are in “ full milk ” and no changes have occurred 
I in either the physical or chemical characters of the milk. 
!f The M. melitensis is also excreted in the urine of goats suffering 
from Mediterranean fever, but up to the present it has only been 
ip found when the disease has existed for some time and after physical 
changes have occurred in the milk. 
I; Shaw examined the blood of 33 cows, 10 of which gave a positive 
reaction to the M. melitensis; from the milk of 2 of these cows the 
M. melitensis was isolated. 
I The manner in which animals become infected with the virus of 
|i Mediterranean fever is a matter of considerable interest and im- 
ji portance. Up to the present all the evidence available points to 
their food as being the main vehicle of infection. The feeding ex- 
j, periments show conclusively that monkeys and goats may thus be 
r- infected. Besides the very obvious way of infection of the young 
through their mothers’ milk, the successful result of various feeding 
j experiments with food soiled, directly and indirectly, with the urine 
I of 2 ambulatory cases of Mediterranean fever, and in whose urine 
f living M. melitensis was being excreted, indicated another way in 
J which these animals may be infected while feeding. Goats may be 
' seen any day in the streets of the chief city of the island of Malta 
, feeding on filth and rubbish of every possible variety, some of it 
I visiblj^ saturated with urine, animal and human. Among the lower 
I class Maltese, as above stated, workmen have been found who void 
i. living M. melitensis in their urine, as do a certain number of in- 
fected goats. Thus the path of this manner of infection becomes 
clear. Having satisfied their hunger in this manner, the goats lie 
■ down in the streets to digest their meal with their teats and udders 
^ often in contact with the ordure of the gutters and roads, till they 
I are kicked up by the goatherd to be milked into the vessel brought 
I to the doors of the adjacent houses by their occupants. It is hence 
! not to be wondered at that these animals frequently suffer also from 
j suppurative mastitis and give milk containing pus. In the health 
I reports of the Malta government may be seen reports of outbreaks 
\ of illness among children directly traced to this cause by the med- 
? ical officers. 
j- 
I I 
