ILLUSTRATIONS.

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PLATE V. Micrococcus melitensis, the causative agent of Malta fever...

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FIG. 36. A good type of Maltese milch goat......

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37. Herd of Maltese goats being driven from house to house for sale of milk....

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38. Native method of milking Maltese goats..

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IV

MALTA FEVER AND THE MALTESE GOAT IMPORTATION.

By JOHN R. MOHLER, A. M., V. M. D., Chief of the Pathological Division,

AND

GEORGE H. HART, V. M. D., M. D., Assistant in Bacteriology, Pathological Division.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

A gradually increasing interest has been manifested during the past few years in the milch-goat industry, and numerous requests for information on this subject are constantly being received by the Bureau of Animal Industry. These requests have come chiefly from physicians who believe in the value of goat's milk for invalids and children, and from people who have either read of the economy of goat keeping or been raised in foreign countries where the milk of goats is such a valuable asset. For instance, milch goats are particularly adapted to the requirements of the peasant class in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and other countries, and it is because the milk of the goat is furnished cheaply and compares favorably with the quality of cow's milk that the milch goat recommends itself to those people in this country who can not afford to keep a cow.

The common American or Spanish goat has been kept for milk production in the United States for a long time, especially in certain States with Italian colonies and in several of the Southern and Southwestern States, but the number of such milch goats is known to be comparatively small. In fact, it was this scarcity of milch goats, and the desire of the Bureau to secure a herd of clean, healthy, hardy milch animals especially for the purpose of serving as foundation stock to supply those interested in the building up of a milch-goat industry in this country, that caused Dr. D. E. Salmon, then Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry, to make an importation of milch goats from Europe, where this industry is an important and profitable interest. The late Mr. George F. Thompson, who had spent considerable time in studying the different species of these animals, was detailed to make this importation. After visiting several districts in Europe, he finally turned his attention to the Maltese goat and soon became convinced that this was a valuable breed and should be introduced into the United States. These goats are native to the Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, and are also bred to a less extent on the rock of Gibraltar, having been introduced there from Malta.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MALTESE GOAT.

For years the Maltese goat has been regarded by those who are familiar with the goat industry as a superior animal, not only on ac

FIG. 36. A good type of Maltese milch goat.

count of its milk pro

The

duction, but also as a prolific breeder. peculiar semitropical climate of Malta must be responsible for this condition, for the pasturage is very scant; but the goats, which are driven out into the streets two or three times a day, seem to find nourishment in places where a COW would slowly starve to death. The population of Malta, numbering about 203,000

people, are almost

solely dependent for milk upon the goat, although a few cows are kept and some condensed milk is imported.

There is only one breed of goats on the island, although the hair of some is short while in others it is long. They are of all colors, but brown predominates. Quite a number of these animals have horns, but the majority are hornless. The goats are relatively small, the average height being about 2 feet 6 inches and the weight generally ranging from 80 to 90 pounds.

FIG. 37. Herd of Maltese goats being driven from house to house for sale of milk.

The principal characteristic and main breed peculiarity of the Maltese goats are their very long pendulous ears and very large lowhanging udder with two well-developed teats. In animals above 4 years of age the udder will almost touch the ground as the goat walks, and one with a full udder of this kind may occasionally be

seen moving after the fashion of a kangaroo, carrying the udder forward with her hind legs.

A herd will average 3 to 4 pints of milk per head a day, while some of the best milch animals will secrete a much larger quantity. Mr. Thompson had several of these goats milked regularly under his direction, and it appeared that the average production during the period of lactation of nine months was over 2 quarts daily. Two of the goats gave 4

quarts each, while several others which did not weigh 75 pounds gave only a slightly less quantity. In Malta these goats are kept in small herds of from 4 to 35, and one "goatherd," usually the owner, has charge of each herd. The animals are driven along the streets and milked directly into the pails of the customers at the doors of the homes where the milk is desired. The milk is purchased only in small quantities as required, since the goats make two or three trips daily. The goatherd stoops behind the goat to draw the milk, and while the position appears awkward, it is the only one that can be assumed with comfort to the animal and convenience to the one who milks.

FIG. 38.-Native method of milking Maltese goat.

The chemical analysis of the milk from six different animals varied as follows:

The high percentage of fat in goat's milk, together with the fact that it seems to be more easily digested than cow's milk, would probably give to it advantages over ordinary. milk for use in the sick room and in the nursery. This essential excellence of goat's milk is not a matter of novelty to many persons, and it ought to meet with early recognition by the people in general. But it is not to be sup

posed that the goat's milk is destined to supersede that of the cow, especially for the supply of large cities, although there are undoubtedly numerous instances in which the family supply of milk, particularly for invalids and children, can be drawn from the goat to better advantage than from the cow.

THE IMPORTATION OF MALTESE GOATS TO THE UNITED STATES.

As before stated, the Department of Agriculture, recognizing the need of a milch-goat industry in the United States and the excellent milk-producing qualities of the Maltese goats, undertook to obtain an experimental herd of the best animals that could be secured on the Island of Malta. It was the intention to place these animals at the Storrs (Conn.) Agricultural Experiment Station and at the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station at College Park, where in cooperation with the authorities at these stations the Bureau would conduct experiments to determine their adaptability to climatic and other conditions in this country, and to ascertain the value of their milk, particularly in the manufacture of cheese and as a food for the sick.

In the early summer of 1905 Mr. Thompson proceeded to the Island of Malta for the purpose of collecting the herd. He remained on the island several weeks studying the native methods of handling the animals, during which time he collected a herd of 61 nannies, many of which were prize animals and unusually good milkers, and 4 billies. With these animals and three goatherds he left Malta for Antwerp on August 19, 1905. At Antwerp the goats were unloaded and kept at the quarantine station for five days, when on September 7 they were reembarked for New York. Upon their arrival in the United States on September 23 they were immediately taken to the quarantine station of the Bureau of Animal Industry at Athenia, N. J.

HISTORY OF VOYAGE FROM MALTA TO THE UNITED STATES AND OF PERSONS WHO DRANK THE MILK.

The goats were taken aboard the steamship Joshua Nicholson at Malta on August 19, 1905. The ship was on the way from Egypt to London and stopped at Malta only a few hours, none of the crew going ashore. The crew consisted of four officers and nineteen men, in addition to whom Mr. Thompson and the three goatherds were the only passengers. During the voyage to Antwerp, which lasted until September 2, everyone on board used the milk from the goats. At Antwerp eleven of the crew left the ship, and the movements of all of this number remain unknown except one, who went to the hospital with a hernia. The captain later stated that three of this number were under treatment in a hospital in Antwerp with symptoms simi