Cardenas v. Malta Fever

Mexico's closemouthed little President Lazaro Cardenas had almost displaced the man who elected him. Boss Plutarco Calles, in the hearts of the Mexican peons by last month. He had given them some land and some justice, had made a personal tour of the back country, patting babies and cattle, drinking many a glass of cow's milk and goat's milk. But the one thing a Mexican President needs to rule his fermenting country is abounding, virile health. Last week, surrounded by enemies, President Cardenas to his disgust felt sick as a dog. Newshawks were told he had Malta fever, so named because British Navy men stationed in the Mediterranean once got it from the milk of Maltese goats.

Cardenas is a pure Tarascan Indian, contemptuous of sickness and doctors. Last week he ordered that no bulletins on his condition be issued, but his fellow members of Mexico's ruling National Revolutionary Party were already eagerly discussing a temporary President while Cardenas took a long rest somewhere out of Mexico. Boning up on Malta fever. Cardenas' enemies found that it is properly called undulant fever, and that its germ, the Micrococcus melitensis, can be got from drinking raw milk or even from patting diseased cattle. Chances against Cardenas dying of it were 50-to-1 but he might be sick with it for from four months to two years, and there was nothing much to be done about it. except cold packs and intravenous injections.

Last week, having run a month and eased off. the Malta fever, it was announced, suddenly attacked Cardenas again in force. He was sweating with it, his joints swelled, he ached, his temperature was high and he felt weak. He had lost about 33 lb. To suggestions that he take a convalescent trip, he snorted. Last week he arose, drove to the San Jacinto suburb of Mexico City and spent two hours patting more cattle at the National Cattle Exhibition.

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