Page 20 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 2

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ERSTEPOORT 100
year or last two years of veterinary curricula. J.B. Quinlan was therefore only appointed in 1922 as lecturer, and in 1924 as professor, with the added responsibility of lecturing in gynaecology and obstetrics. Quinlan obtained his veterinary qualification in Dublin and was known for, and feared for, his Irish temperament by two generations of students. He was, however, respected as an excellent equine surgeon and developed an interest in reproductive problems in cattle. He published widely on both subjects. When he retired as Assistant-Director of the Institute in 1947 he was succeeded by S.W.J. van Rensburg (senior) who had been lecturer in gynaecology and obstetrics since 1944 and laid the foundations for a future Reproduction Department. When he resigned in 1953, N.C. Starke took over but also resigned three years later in 1956 for a position in the private sector.
time Dean in 1976 he was succeeded by D.G. Steyn as head of Surgery. In addition to his surgical skills Steyn was an expert in the evolving science of experimental animal medicine. During his term a first associate professor was appointed in 1977 in the person of C.J. Roos, to head a new division for radiology. Steyn was in turn succeeded by S.S. van den Berg in 1986.
Van den Berg was a dynamic leader who contributed significantly to the expansion of activities in his department to meet the needs of the increasing number of students. Under his guidance several new divisions were created and senior staff appointed as managers. In addition to Radiology these included Small Animal Surgery (F. Verstraete); Equine Surgery (R. Gottschalk); Anaesthesiology (F. Stegmann); Opthalmology (S.W. Petrick) and Veterinary Nursing (I. Wolleschak). In
In view of the pending reorganization of the Faculty, M. de Lange, who had been lecturer in the department since 1953, acted as departmental head until the end of 1957 when the first appointments were made from outside the Institute staff.
A new era dawned with the appoint- ment of C.F.B. Hofmeyr, an established private practitioner, in 1958. He played an active and important role in promoting his discipline, faculty and profession, first as head of Surgery, then as part-time Dean (1971-1976) and as the first full-time Dean from 1976 until his retirement in1981. His leadership was crucial in the period before and after the Faculty gained independence in 1973. He was also intimately involved in
“An important milestone was reached when the new O nderstepoor t Veter inary Academic Hospital was completed in 1992, providing adequate accommodation for all these activities.”
1995 Roos retired and was succeeded as head of Radiology by R. Kirberger. An important milestone was reached when the new Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital was completed in 1992, providing adequate accommodation for all these acti- vities. Unfortunately a major staff turnover characterized the 1990s and van den Berg’s retirement at the end of 1999 coincided with the finalization of the amalgamation of the Onderstepoort and Medunsa Faculties. Pending the ensuing major restructuring, P.H. Turner was employed as acting head of the department.
from the Institute the separation of 80 gynaecology and obstetrics from surgery as an independent department, called Genesiology, which was led by J.S. van Heerden, one of the pioneers of artificial insemination in South Africa from 1961-1981. When Hofmeyr became full-
In Genesiology R.I. Coubrough was the successor of van Heerden in 1981 until 1987 when he, in turn, succeeded J.M.W. le Roux as Dean. In 1986 the department was subdivided into two divisions, reflecting the two directions in which its activities had been developing. These were theriogenology under D.H. Volkmann and herd health with D.C. Lourens in charge. In 1987 H.J. Bertschinger took over as head of the department from Coubrough. Under his leadership programmes addressing reproductive problems of endangered wildlife species were introduced for the first time. By 1996 the activities of the herd health division had expanded to include nutritional and management aspects to the extent that it was decided to split off this section and amalgamate it with the Department of Public Health to form a new Department of Animal and Community Health. At the same time Volkmann took over from Bertschinger as departmental head. In 1999 the name Theriogenology was changed to Reproduction, completing the circle started in 1944. In 2000
Volkmann was succeeded by J.O. Nöthling. Some highlights of the department’s research activities during the last decade of the 20th century included the development of an immuno-contraception technique to assist
Students in theatre
PART 2
Faculty of Veterinary Science: General History
1908-2008
Years