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127

No. 126.

27012

SIR,

No. 124.

I am, &c.,

H. BERTRAM COX.

SIR,

THE ROYAL SOCIETY to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received July 31, 1905.) [Answered by No. 128.]

Burlington House, London, W., July 29, 1905. On the part of the Royal Society I beg to inform you that the Commission at present engaged at Malta under the direction of a committee of the Society has made the important discovery that the virus of Mediterranean_fever exists abundantly in the milk and urine of the goats which supply the population of the island with milk. It has now been ascertained that about 50 per cent. of these goats react to this fever, when examined by the serum agglutination test, although in outward appearance the animals seem to be quite healthy. This discovery can hardly fail to prove of the utmost importance in its bearing upon the causes of the spread of the disease, but there has not yet been time to ascertain what share the milk may have, together with other causes, in the propagation of the infection, or to determine what practical steps should be taken with regard to this addition to our knowledge of the subject. In the opinion of the Royal Society, however, there can be little doubt that the milk will prove to be one chief source of spreading the disease, and in these circumstances the Society feels that no time should be lost in communicating to the authorities in Malta, civil, naval, and military, the informa- tion which has been definitely ascertained, in order that they may be put on their guard as to the danger of the present milk supply. The members of the Commission who are engaged in the investigation deprecate any immediate restrictive action with regard to the herds of goats, as the owners of these animals would probably place insuperable obstacles in the way of the prosecution and completion of the researches which are so urgently needed before adequate preventive measures can be devised.

I am, &c.,

COLONIAL OFFICE to ADMIRALTY and WAR OFFICE.

Downing Street, August 7, 1905. Wrra reference to the letter from this Department of the 20th December last,* I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the accompanying copy of a despatch† from

Army Council,

the Governor of Malta, on the subject of a repayment due from Malta funds to

votes.

Navy Army

2. Mr. Lyttelton has approved of the Crown Agents for the Colonies making a refund as requested by Sir C. M. Clarke.

27012

No. 127.

I am, &c..

C. P. LUCAS.

COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR C. M. CLARKE. SIR,

Downing Street, August 11, 1905. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to transmit to you, for any observa- tions you may wish to make, copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Royal Society, reporting that the Commission at present engaged at Malta under the direction of a committee of the Society has made the important discovery that the virus of Medit- erranean fever exists abundantly in the milk and urine of the goats which supply the island with milk.

I am to add that a copy has been sent confidentially to the Officer Administering the Government of Malta for his information and guidance. You may, perhaps, desire while you are in this country to confer personally with the Royal Society on the subject.

I am, &c.,

H. BERTRAM COX.

26093

No. 125.

ARCH. GEIKIE, Secretary, Royal Society.

27012

SIR,

COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS. [Copy to Governor, August 9, 1905. No. 114. L.F.]

Gentlemen,

Downing Street, August 7, 1905. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to request that you will pay the sum of £47 58. 8d. from Malta funds to Major and Brevet-Colonel D. Bruce, Royal Army Medical Corps, in respect of travelling expenses between London and Malta incurred by him in connection with the work of the Mediterranean Fever Commission.

2. His address is 68, Victoria Street, S.W.

3. I am further to enclose the accompanying copy of a despatch* from the Governor of Malta concerning a repayment due to Army and Navy funds, and to inform you that Mr. Lyttelton approves of your making the refund desired by Sir C. M. Clarke.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

No. 128.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

Downing Street, August 11, 1905. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 29th July, as to the discovery of the virus of Mediterranean fever in the milk and urine of goats, and to say that a copy has been sent confidentially to the Officer Administering the Government of Malta for his information.

27012

No. 129.

I am, &c.,

H. BERTRAM COX

MR. LYTTELTON to ACTing Governor SIR W. F. KELLY. (Confidential.)

SIR,

Downing Street, August 14, 1905. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, for your information and guidance, copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Royal Society, reporting that the Commis- sion at present engaged at Malta under the direction of a committee of the Royal Society has made the important discovery that the virus of Mediterranean fever

• No. 122.

• No. 178 in Miscellaneous No. 170.

↑ No. 122.

↑ No. 124.

PUBLIC RECORD

OFFICE

Reference :-

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9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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128

exists abundantly in the milk and urine of the goats which supply the population of the island with milk.

29350

No. 130.

I have, &c.,

ALFRED LYTTELTON.

ACTING GOVERNOR SIR W. F. KELLY to MR. LYTTELTON.

(No. 137.) SIR,

(Received August 16, 1905.).

[Answered by No. 132.]

The Palace, Valletta, August 11, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to forward to you the accompanying statement, for the quarter ending the 30th of June last, of the expenditure that has been incurred by this Colony in connection with the Mediterranean Fever Commission.

2. The statement has been examined by the Auditor-General and the vouchers in support of the statement have been filed with the accounts of that Department.

29350

SIR,

129

No. 131.

COLONIAL OFFICE to WAR OFFICE and ADMIRALTY.

Downing Street, August 31, 1905. REFERRING to the letter from this Office of the 29th of May last, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to transmit to you to be laid before the

Army Council

Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the accompanying certified copy of an account† received from the Deputy Governor of Malta of expenditure for the June quarter of 1905 in connection with the Mediterranean Fever Commission, and to request that one-third of the total amount, namely £46 1s. 6d., may be paid from Army funds

Navy to the Crown Agents for the Colonies, to be placed to the credit of the Malta Govern- ment, which has defrayed the total expense.

I am, &c.,

29350

No. 132.

C. P. LUCAS.

SIB,

I have, &c.,

W. F. KELLY,

Deputy Governor.

SIR,

Enclosure in No. 130.

Mediterranean Fever Commission,

Malta, July 29, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to submit the fifth quarterly account of expenditure incurred by the Mediterranean Fever Commission.

The expenditure in Malta from 1st April to 30th June, 1905, amounted to £138 4s, 5d.

The following are the details:-

[1. Telegrams and postage

2. Labour

3. Chemicals

4. Cost of animals

5. Food fr animals, including maintenance of animals

out of the laboratory

6. Consumption of gas

7. Cost of sundry articles

£ s. d.

0 16 4

2 0 2

10 3 10

5 0 0

12 10 10

4 0 3

12 1 8

8. Assistance in laboratory and clerical assistance

53 15 4

9. Transport expenses

10. Stationery

11. Remuneration to Major Horrocks, R.A.M.C.

3 17 3 0 3 8 33 15 0

Total

£138 4 5]

'MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR W. F. KELLY. (No. 126.)

Downing Street, August 31, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 137 of the 11th instant, providing an account of the expenses incurred by the Malta Government in connection with the Mediterranean Fever Enquiry during the quarter ended 30th June last.

2. The item of £89 10s. Od. for the subsistence allowance of Staff-Surgeon Shaw, R.N., was dealt with in connection with the adjustment for the quarter ended 31st December last. I enclose copy of a letter§ which I have accordingly addressed to the War Office and the Admiralty.

29350

No. 133.

I have, &c.,

ALFRED LYTTELTON.

GENTLEMEN,

COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.

Downing Street, August 31, 1905. WITH reference to the letter from this Office of the 25th of April last, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to transmit to you a copy of a letter§ which has been addressed in similar terms to the War Office and Admiralty, with its enclosure, on the subject of the expenditure of the Malta Government in connection with the Mediterranean Fever Commission.

I am to request that you will place to the credit of Malta funds the two sums of £46 1s. 6d. each referred to therein.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

The following amount was paid by the Crown Agents for the Colonies:-

Subsistence allowance to Staff-Surgeon R. A. Shaw, R.N.... 89 10 0

His Honour

The Lieutenant-Governor

and Chief Secretary to Government.

32678

No. 134.

WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received September 12, 1905.) [Copy to Acting-Governor Sir W. F. Kelly, September 14, 1905.

No. 131. L.F.] War Office, London, S.W., September 11, 1905.

WITH reference to your letter, No. 21409 of the 18th July,smitting a claim by Major W. H. Horrocks, Royal Army Medical Corps, for refund of expenses

Total

£227 14 5

I have, &c.,

A. W. HORROCKS,

Acting Chairman.

SIR,