Observations on Malta Fever

Abstract

AN endemic disease of long duration, characterised by fever, continuous, remittent, and intermittent in type, in most cases enlarged spleen, profuse perspiration, sudamina, constipation, relapses almost invariably, accompanied by pains of a rheumatic or neuralgic character, sometimes swelling of joints or orchitis, ending almost always in complete recovery; in fatal cases enlargement and softening of spleen, congestion of the duo- denum and upper part of jejunum, no swelling or ulceration of Peyer's glands, and the constant occurrence in various organs of a species of micrococcus. GLEOGRAPHIC.AL DISTRIBUTION. That this fever occurs at Gibraltar there can be little doubt. Donaldson states that Malta fever and rock fever are identical; and Veale, from his experience at the Victoria Hospital, Netley, is of the same opinion. Mr. White, Her Majesty's Consul, writes that this fever is unknown at Tangier, opposite Gibraltar, and to the eastward of Gibraltar, at Carthagena, it is also said not to occur. Dr. Luigi Zauda, writing from Cagliari, Sardinia, states that this fever is well known in that city, and also in the interior of the island.