Sir Temi Zammit's discovery

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has published a booklet commemorating the names of famous researchers surrounding the building. Sir David Bruce is claimed to have discovered that brucellosis was transmitted by goats' milk. In fact, this was discovered by Sir Themistocles Zammit in spite of Bruce's opposition to Zammit's request to carry out the research.

My initial request was turned down, but I have since submitted a petition signed by 130 Maltese health workers and 30 international brucellosis doctors requesting recognition of Zammit's discovery. Caroline Llyod, Head of Library and Archive Service, writes that the school "cannot add a slip note to the printed copies but the Website entry now reads: Bruce chaired the Malta Fever Commission which sat from 1904 to 1906, the commission succeeded in tracing the reservoir of infection of the Maltese goat."

Sadly Zammit is still not recognised and the Mediterranean Fever Commission is still misnamed - Bruce himself condemned the use of the term Malta Fever.

I would like to thank all the doctors, students, nurses and others who signed my petition.