He was born in Valletta in 1864, graduated in medicine at the University
of Malta in 1882. He later specialized in bacteriology first in London and
then in Paris. In 1890 he was appointed Government analyst and in 1897 a
University examiner in Physics.
In those days thousands of Maltese and British Troops stationed in Malta
were the victims of a disease which sapped their vitality and killed hundreds
of them every year. It was called Malta Fever later renamed Undulant Fever.
When the blood of sick patients was analysed, the micrococcus melitensis
was always found. This kind of micro-organism was discovered in main by,
and named after Sir David Bruce in 1887. But no one knew the source of,
and how man became infected by the microbe.
It was Sir Temi Zammit who discovered the source eighteen years after Bruce's
discovery.
Sir Temi was appointed Rector of the Malta University in 1930, and on his
retirement, Director of the National Museum. He was responsible not only
for the exhibition of Malta's numerous past relics but also for the compilation
of records which revealed much of the Island's history and very early stages
of civilization. His book, History of the Maltese Islands, is still considered
a worthy book of reference.
Among the many honours bestowed on him, he was conferred the Degree of Doctor
of Literature, Hon. Causa by Oxford University. Later he was made Commander
of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and created Knight Bachelor
in 1930.
By Charles Zammit Haber
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