Page 89 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 3

fever, heartwater, redwater and gallsickness. Besides this, arsenic was also used as an insecticide to control locusts, as an anthelmintic and a wood preservative. Because arsenic is an inert substance, we still occasionally get outbreaks even today; for example, where old dip tanks have been
emptied or where, long ago, locust poison has been dumped in the veld.
After the Second World War, new in-
secticides and acaricides (viz. neurotoxic
organic compounds) such as organo-
phosphates, carbamates and chlorinated
hydrocarbons, came to the fore. In addi-
tion, new feed additives such as urea and
ionophore antibiotics made their appearance.
New laboratory techniques were required
for their diagnoses and J.M. (Joe) Minné
(1938-1978, organic chemist) was just the
person to apply these techniques. Oom Joe,
as he was known, spent his entire career
spanning 40 years at Onderstepoort. An
impish man (in his youth much given to
causing explosions), he was an absolute
master of thin layer chromatography and,
based on his massive experience, had an
almost intuitive ability to make diagnoses. In his youth, H. Graf had inculcated in him a regard for the flora of South Africa, especially the trees of the bushveld, which stayed with him all his life. Together with B.P. Maartens (1955-1995), he was an integral part of the history of toxicology at Onderstepoort during the latter part of the last century. After his retirement, P. (Pierre) de Villers in the middle 1970s and then A.T. (André) Basson (1984-date) took the laboratory into a new era of higher technology, using diagnostic aids such as gas chromatograph mass spectrometry. Basson has over the years been more than ably supported by, amongst others, E.L. Barrett, K.M. (Karin) Basson, S. (Susan) Smith, G.C.H. (Arina) Fereirra and Heleen
ONDERSTEPOORT 100
van den Berg. Basson also doubled as Snyman’s assistant in his investigations of CFA and diplodiosis.
“Oom Joe, as he was known, spent his entire career spanning 40 years at Onderstepoort. An impish man (in his youth much given to causing explosions), he was an absolute master of thin layer chromatography and, based on his massive experience, had an almost intuitive ability to make diagnoses.”
As previously mentioned, another person besides Oom Joe who spent his entire career of 40 years in Toxicology was Maartens. A definite personality, he was not for the faint hearted! Expert in all procedures involving animals, BP will be remembered for his energy, enthusiasm and remarkable powers of clinical observation. He was succeeded in the biological laboratory by Leonie Labuschagne, who previously had assisted Fourie in his research on gousiekte. Competent, ever mindful of the welfare of animals, she has brought a feminine touch to the laboratory. The biological laboratory, which for decades was a corrugated iron shed, was thankfully replaced by a modern facility in 1992. The history of toxicology, however, would not be complete without mention of W.H. Haupt, ever the gentleman, who took care of the clinical pathological laboratory from 1974 until his retirement
in 1986.
All the veterinarians in the Section have
over the years been responsible and/or directly involved in diagnostics. Notable amongst these were Kellerman, Fourie and P.W. (Piet) Nel (1982-1988). Their contribution in this respect has been crucial to the success of the Section. Diagnostics has been a pivotal function of the Section, because it kept us informed of what was going on in the country, allowing us to pick up new trends and identify new poisonings as they appeared. It must be stressed that our laboratory was a diagnostic, not a forensic laboratory, although it was often used for that purpose. The objective was to deliver quick results so that poisoned animals could be treated or other corrective measures taken.
179
In conclusion, looking back over the past 100 years, one can say that Onderstepoort and the Section of Toxicology have played a leading role in the investigation of the poisonous aspects
of the wonderful flora of southern Africa. Considering our small staff and limited facilities,
the Section can honestly claim – with full acknowledgement to our collaborators, both here
and abroad – to have made a contribution to veterinary science quite disproportionate to its size. Without question, the most important and internationally valued contribution to toxicology by South African researchers in the past century has been their work on plant poisonings. Were it not for their sustained effort, much less would have been known about this important aspect of toxicology in Africa.
Toxicology
1908-2008
Years