Preliminary note on goats as a means of propagation of Mediterranean fever

Abstract

With the object of ascertaining, by experimental inoculation, whether goats could be infected by the M. 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 M. 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.