Petrus Johann du Toit
| Petrus Johann du Toit | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
16 March 1888 Somerset West |
| Died | 13 November 1967 (aged 79) Pretoria |
| Alma mater | Stellenbosch University |
| Known for | Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners |
| Notable awards | Fellow of the Royal Society (1951) |
Petrus Johann du Toit (16 March 1888 – 13 November 1967) was a noted South African veterinary scientist and the successor of Arnold Theiler as Director of Veterinary Services at Onderstepoort between 1927 and 1948. He was the son of Daniel Francois du Toit (1846–1923), one of the founders of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, and owner of the first Afrikaans newspaper, Die Patriot. His mother was Margaretha Magdalene van Nierop.
Having completed his schooling, du Toit went to Victoria College in Stellenbosch, and then to Zurich where he qualified as a Doctor of zoology in 1912 and as Doctor of veterinary science in Berlin in 1916. He spent a further three years studying the tropical diseases affecting domestic animals, publishing Tropenkrankheiten der Haustiere in 1921 together with Paul Knuth.
Early in his career du Toit was recognised for his exceptional scientific talent. Whereas Theiler had dominated research projects at Onderstepoort, du Toit had the gift of being able to delegate research to inspired workers. His friendly nature and his brilliance as a speaker led to his inclusion on many boards and committees and did much to improve the role of science in South African and international affairs.
From 1908 until the 1950s, after which many enzootic and epizootic diseases had been exterminated or controlled, Onderstepoort revealed the etiology and provenance of diseases such as lamsiekte, geeldikkop (a photodynamic disease of southern African sheep, caused by the ingestion of certain plants and a consequent sensitisation to light, causing intense jaundice and facial edema) and African horsesickness, and produced vaccines, some of which were globally adopted. The philosophy of the institute became increasingly holistic. The state of the veld and pastures was recognised as being pivotal in the prevention and control of disease and the maintenance of animal health.
...
Wikipedia