How Themistocles Zammit found Malta Fever (brucellosis) to be transmitted by the milk of goats

Abstract

One hundred years ago on 14 June 1905, Themistocles Zammit, a Maltese doctor, found that five out of six goats reacted to the blood test for brucellosis, then known as Mediterranean or Malta Fever. Zammit not only made the initial discovery of naturally infected goats but also consistently pursued the subject of brucellosis by experiment, by epidemiology and by devising tests which were used by others—e.g. Zammit’s test. He discovered that the milk of an inoculated goat contained the bacteria.