Page 31 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 1

promoted. However, Quin was duly appointed as Director of Veterinary Services and Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort on 1 December 1949 when de Kock retired. Unfortunately Quin died from a heart attack within less than 4 months at the age of only 50 during the night of 19/20 March 1950. This happened during a train journey from Nelspruit to Pretoria while he was returning from an official trip to the Lowveld where he acted as host to a party of visitors headed by the Director General of the Food
ONDERSTEPOORT 100 film. Quin was also awarded the prestigious Senior Captain
Scott Medal of the South African Biological Society in 1944. Onderstepoort research modernizes
After Quin died R.A. Alexander was appointed as acting Director of Veterinary Services (DVS) and was thus also acting Director of the Institute. Alexander’s permanent appointment
and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Mr Norris E. Dodd.
“Up to World War II biologically orientated research at South African universities was sporadic and dependent on the interests of individual scien-
tists, mainly in the fields of botany, geology, zoology, anthropology, paleontology and some others.”
only took place in December 1950. The reason for this delay is not clear, but a letter from the Minister of Agriculture, Mr S.P. le Roux, dated 24 March 1950, a few days after Quin’s death, offering the position of DVS to Mönnig makes it clear that Alexander was not the Nationalist government’s first choice for the post.
Alexander qualified as a veterinarian in 1925, the year in which the second group of students graduated from the Onderstepoort Faculty. He was an excellent virologist and a good leader. When he took office the scientific scene in South Africa had changed dramatically from that of the pre-war years. Up to World War II biologically orientated research at South African universities
Quin had tremendous potential as a
leader of the Institute and of the veteri-
nary field services component of South
Africa. His infectious enthusiasm, bound-
less energy, openness and faith in his
personnel were lauded in his obituaries.
His early death meant that this potential
could unfortunately not be realized.
Hence there is little that can be said about
his influence as Director of Veterinary
Services. He encouraged Mr A.M. (Tonie)
du Bruyn, who was appointed as head
of the Photography Section at Onder-
stepoort when Theo Meyer retired, to
start making films about various activities
with the aid of the National Film Council. The first film that he made was on Sir Arnold Theiler’s history in which the old Waterval laboratory at Pyramids (see above) also featured. Du Bruyn’s enterprise and enthusiasm eventually resulted in an extensive and scientifically valuable film discotheque on 16mm
at Onderstepoort
was sporadic and dependent on the interests of individual scientists, mainly in the fields of botany, geology, zoology, anthropology, paleontology and some others. The only sub- stantial private sector support for research, which focused on its own needs, was by the mining industry. For example, the only notable institution for medical research was the South
African Institute for Medical Research, established by the 31 mining industry and focusing
on vocational diseases.
The main support for re- search came from govern- ment departments in terms of scientific work carried out under their own jurisdiction. In the biomedical field On- derstepoort dominated the scene as an institution inter- nationally recognized for both its fundamental and applied research. Following the success of Onderstepoort and its model of integrated research and teaching, the Department
R.A. Alexander, 6th Director and Director of Veterinary Services (1950-1961)
Post-war recovery (1948-1961)
1908-2008
Years