Page 17 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 1

was the new Minister of Agriculture, General J.C.G. Kemp, who set about re- structuring his depart- ment, inter alia by abolish- ing the sheep division and proposing the merger of the Veterinary Division res- ponsible for field services and Theiler’s Division for Veterinary Education and Research. Though Theiler had previously suggested such a possibility, he now vehemently opposed it. Kemp was an energetic man intolerant of opposi- tion and inevitably these two strong personalities clashed on several occa- sions. Political tension be- tween them characterized their relationship for the rest of Theiler’s career.
Being intolerant of red
tape and reacting emotio-
nally to the frustrations of
government bureaucracy,
Theiler withdrew himself
more and more from
managerial responsibilities
and left negotiations such as those with the Treasury, Auditor- General and Civil Service Commission in the capable hands of du Toit and W.H.R. King, his chief administrative officer, so that he could concentrate on his research and students.
ONDERSTEPOORT 100
in his honour (but is now known as Ehrlichia ruminantium). Ehr- lichias are currently classified as a special class of bacteria (as are anaplasmas). Research was immediately commenced in an attempt to develop a vaccine against this important disease.
In April 1925 Theiler was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of South Africa – one of several to follow. His own research work, in close colla- boration with H.H. Green, was still mainly concentrated on the problem of mineral deficiencies, but he also paid more attention to internal parasites and toxic plants. The study of helminths was initiated by P.L. le Roux who was posted to Allerton, Ermelo and later Onderstepoort after completing a post-graduate course in helminthology at Edin- burgh in 1924. In 1926 it was strengthened by the appoint- ment of H.O. Mönnig, who had
obtained a D.Phil. in Zoology at the University of Zürich before graduating in veterinary science at Onderstepoort.
Early studies on toxic plants were carried out in collabo-
ration with several botanists, including Pole Evans, head 17 of the Botany Division of the Department of Agriculture,
and Mogg. These investigations included the identification
Gen. J.C.G. Kemp (seated), Minister of Agriculture in the Hertzog government from 1924, with Col. G.N. Williams (left) and P.J. du Toit (right)
Early in 1925, after returning from a short holiday, Theiler resigned for a second time. Three weeks later Kemp announced that he had asked him to reconsider and after a month of silence Theiler informed Kemp that he was prepared to stay for another year in order to ensure a smooth succession. Although he respected du Toit for a sharp and perceptive scientific mind, he regarded his international exposure as inadequate.
Research activities increased significant- ly during these turbulent years. The research staff had grown to 29 and was strengthened by the employment of three of the first graduates: J.I. Quin, W.J.B. Green and J.H.R. Bisschop. Cowdry had returned to the USA after obtaining convincing evidence that heartwater is caused by a rickettsia, subsequently named Cowdria ruminantium
“In April 1925 Theiler was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of South Africa – one of several to follow. His own research work, in close collaboration with H.H. Green, was still mainly concentrated on the problem of mineral deficiencies, but he also paid more attention to internal parasites and toxic plants.”
of the Crotalaria species causing lung pathology in horses and laminitis in cattle, of Senecio species causing dunsiekte due to liver cirrhosis in horses and Pachystigma pygmaeum as the cause of gousiekte. This work was continued by Douw G. Steyn who was appointed as researcher and lecturer at Onderstepoort in 1926 after obtaining a Dr.Med.Vet (Pharma) at the University of Vienna. Theiler also became involved in wildlife conservation through his contacts at the Pretoria Zoo and collaboration with J. Stevenson-Hamilton of the Sabie Game Reserve, which later became the Kruger National Park. Henrici had moved to Ermelo to continue her work on the nutritional value of grass pastures and was replaced at Armoedsvlakte by Scheuber. With Theiler actively involved in the research carried out at the various sub-
Early days (1908-1927)
1908-2008
Years