159
that consideration should be given to the question of regulating the admission of goats into Gibraltar from Spain.
2. In reply I beg to report that, for some time past, this question has been under the consideration of the Sanitary Commissioners, who are the body specially charged with the preservation of the public health, and it is hoped that additional by-laws for the control and regulation of the milk supply generally will be passed at an early date.
I have, &c.,
FREDK. FORESTIER WALKER,
£ s. d.
"Formosa
18. Freight on reports of Mediterranean Fever Commission ex S.S.
53
19. Premium on said reports er S.S. "Formosa
197 7
20. Travelling expenses-Colonel Bruce
51
4 0
21. Passage to Malta of Private Stremes
7 10 0
22. Expenses-Fleet-Surgeon Basset-Smith
87 12 6
23. Department charges paid by the Receiver-General to Crown.
Agents
Total
£846 11 5
Subject to further enquiries as to items 5 and 8, I certify that the foregoing
statement is correct.
17556
II. BERTRAM Cox.
537
No. 116.
General and Governor.
THE ROYAL SOCIETY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received May 17, 1907.)
GENTLEMEN,
No. 113.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.
Downing Street, January 12, 1907. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 24th October last,* I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a lettert which has been addressed in identical terms to the Admiralty and War Office, requesting the repayment of expenditure defrayed by the Malta Government during the quarter ended 30th September last on account of the Mediterrancan Fever Commission.
2. I am to request that you will place the two sums of £282 3s. 9d., when received, to the credit of the Malta Government.
6511
No. 114. GIBRALTAR.
I am, &c.,
H. BERTRAM COX.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
[Answered by No. 115,]
Downing Street, February 26, 1907.
(No. 16.)- SIR,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you five copies of Part V. of the Reports of the Commission appointed for the investigation of Mediterranean Fever, and to request that you will consider the suggestion at page 64 that the admission of goats into Gibraltar from Spain should be regulated in the interests of public health.
SIR,
[Answered by No. 123,]
Burlington House, London, W., May 16, 1907. THE Committee of the Royal Society appointed to superintend the investiga- tion into Malta fever by a Commission nominated by the Admiralty, the Colonial Office, and the War Office, now reports that the Commission has completed the investi- gation with which it was charged, and I have great pleasure in calling the attention of His Majesty's Secretary of State to the results of its labours.
The last published reports* of the Commission, which I forward herewith, carry the history of the investigation to a point which may now be regarded as conclusive. Not only has the cause of the disease been discovered and traced by the Commission, working under the direction of the Royal Society, but the circumstances have been fully unravelled which lead to the propagation of the fever, while the measures to be taken to eradicate it have been clearly ascertained.
The enclosed memorandum of the Committee indicates the measures which in their opinion should be taken to eliminate this most serious disease from the Island of Malta.
It is a source of great satisfaction to the Royal Society that so definite a solution of a most important problem, affecting especially large numbers of His Majesty's forces, as well as the civil population of the island, should thus have been arrived at, and I have no doubt that this satisfaction will be shared by His Majesty's Government.
I am to express the hope that the Government may be able to initiate such administrative measures, on the lines indicated by the memorandum under reference, as will give full effect to the recommendations made by the Commission.
I am, &c..
ARCH. GEIKIE,
Secretary, Royal Society.
11653
(No. 42.)
MY LORD,
No. 115.
GIBRALTAR.
I have, &c.,
ELGIN.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received April 2, 1907.)
Gibraltar, March 27, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, No. 16, of the 26th ultimo, forwarding copies of Part V. of the Reports of the →→ Commission appointed for the investigation of Mediterranean fever, and requesting
* L.F. transmitting copy of No. 182 in Miscellaneous No. 178. † No. 112. ‡ No. 114.
Enclosure in No. 116.
MEMORANDUM OF THE MALTA FEVER COMMITTEE.
1. The most important fact brought out by the labours of the Commission is that at least 2,000 apparently healthy goats in Malta are constantly passing the virus of Mediterranean fever, the Micrococcus melitensis, in their milk. It has also been proved that the drinking of even small quantities of this infective milk by healthy animals is followed by an attack of fever. This is a condition of affairs which constitutes a grave and pressing public danger, and which the Maltese Government should should take steps to rectify without delay. No question of trouble or expense be allowed to stand in the way of carrying out this pressing public duty.
2. In view of the Imperial interests involved, the Royal Society's Committee is of opinion that the Imperial Government might reasonably be asked to bear a share In the past, on an in the expense consequent on this absolutely essential measure. average, some 700 soldiers and sailors have been treated in hospital each year,
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