Page 52 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 3

OND
ERSTEPOORT 100
Before joining the Pathology Section in 1936 Schulz, a former student of the Faculty
who had obtained a D.Vet.Med. degree at the University of Leipzig, was employed as
a field state veterinarian in South West Africa (now Namibia) and South Africa. He had been shot in the jaw in 1934 by the son of a farmer near Danielskuil, which is about 87km due south of Kuruman in the Northern Cape Province, while serving a legal document which required the destruction of a horse suffering from dourine, a sexually transmitted disease
of equines caused by the protozoal parasite, Trypanosoma equiperdum. After this incident the state regulations for the control of dourine were changed: serological testing of animals is performed
at the request of the owner of the animal and is subject to them signing an indemnity form which requires them to have all positive animals destroyed, castrated or ovariectomized. As a result of the injury Schulz’s speech was slightly impaired but this did not prevent his appointment as Professor of Pathology in 1950, a position he held until his retirement in 1963. As mentioned above, one
of his achievements in the Section was his recognition and description of pulpy kidney disease
in sheep which was (and still is – unless prophylactic measures are taken) a condition of major importance in the sheep industry worldwide.
de Boom and R. Clark. The last named left the Section during 1942 to join the Physiology Section. A disease in pregnant ewes of unknown aetiology at the time occurred in many parts of the world and was known under a variety of names in- cluding pregnancy disease and pregnancy toxaemia. De Kock had concluded that it was the same disease as the one known
142 locally as domsiekte (as affected ewes act ‘stupidly’). Clark, while still in the Pathology Section, was a member of a research team which, in a major project, investigated the possible aetiology and other aspects of the condition. They were able to reproduce it experimentally in pregnant and non-pregnant ewes in good condition by the sudden cutting of their feed ration. Clark’s role in the team was that of pathologist and haematologist. Ms Lawrence prepared the camera lucida sketches of the histopathological changes which formed part of the lengthy report published in the Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Science and Animal Industry.
Towards the end of 1950 and during the early months of 1951 there were reports of heavy mortality in sheep and cattle in the western Free State. Several diseases were suspected but it was not until four veterinarians and two assistants in Johannesburg, who had been concerned
“Swayback or lamkruis in lambs, caused by copper deficiency, occurs in many countries unless prophylactic measures are taken. This condition was investigated and described by Schulz and co-workers in 1951 although its presence had been recorded in 1930 by Bekker and Rossouw of the Biochemistry Section of the Institute.”
with either the ante- or post-mortem exami- nation of a valuable bull, became sick that the possibility of Rift Valley fever, a disease that had not previously been diagnosed in Southern Africa, was considered in the list of differential diagnoses. On examination of histological slides prepared from the organs of the bull the identity of the disease became apparent and a tentative diagnosis of Rift Valley fever was made. The disease is caused by a bunyavirus which, in animals, is general- ly transmitted by mosquitoes. It is, however also contagious and a zoonosis. Schulz, in 1951, subsequently described its pathology as it occurred in South Africa. Our knowledge of the pathogenesis and pathology of Rift Valley fever was considerably enlarged seve- ral years later by J.A.W. (Koos) Coetzer of the Pathology Section (see below).
Swayback or lamkruis in lambs, caused by copper deficiency, occurs in many coun- tries unless prophylactic measures are taken. This condition was investigated and described by Schulz and co-workers in 1951 although its presence had been re- corded in 1930 by Bekker and Rossouw of the Biochemistry Section of the Institute. Swayback is characterized by demyelination of white matter of the brain and spinal cord. The lesions result clinically in incoordination and paresis particularly of the hindquarters or, in some cases, total paralysis. At that
PART 3
History of Individual Disciplines
1908-2008
Years