VN July 2020

Vetnuus | Julie 2020 34 We are indeed fortunate that the 5 th and 6 th women graduates are still with us and that we can pay tribute to them by highlighting their remarkable careers and contributions to our profession. Margaret Rose, whose secondmarriage surnamewas co-incidentally Roos, was our first female colleague who was never employed by a government institution; and Malie Smuts was not only the first Theiler medallist, but also the first female professor and head of a department at the Onderstepoort Faculty. 5. Margaret Irmgard Rose Margaret Irmgard Rose was born in South Africa on 15 May 1931 and spent her childhood years in Germany, only returning to SA in 1947 to finish her schooling at Durban Girls High School in 1948. She was determined to become a veterinarian and in 1950 became the 5 th girl to be selected for admission to Onderstepoort. Being the only girl in the class, she was petrified of the ‘guys’ and all she could do was put up a brave front, although her stiff upper lip approach sometimes caused her heartache when she missed out on some of the student balls by spurning the invitations. A gift of lipstick and pretty panties given by the class at a party hosted by Prof W Malherbe on her 21 st birthday she regarded as a reminder that she was a girl and should therefore act less like a tomboy! After qualifying in 1953 she was determined to stay in Durban to care for her aged mother and as no position of veterinary assistant was available, she assisted at the Durban SPCA and attended to odd needy cases. She even took on a receptionist post with a medical radiologist while slowly building up her own practice and lecturing part-time in Zoology to pharmacy students at the local Technical College to supplement her income. She could fortunately make use of the experienced Dr Jim Dore’s surgery. A large component of her practice was charity-orientated and she loved dealing with exotics. A founder member of the local Animal Anti-Cruelty League Committee in 1960, her animal welfare work increased dramatically. She was also appointed as veterinarian for the SAPS’ dog handler squad in Natal and provided veterinary care for private security companies. In 1996 she stopped private practice, but financial pressure forced her to return to full time practice. Margaret has always been actively involved in church work. She was married in 1955, and had three children, two sons and a daughter, and 6 grandchildren. Later, as a divorcee, Margaret married Tienie Roos, manager of the SAVA office for several years, in 1981, and attended the 50-year reunion of her Class in 2003. Tienie died on 19 October 2008 but Margaret attended the 60-year reunion in 2013. She retired early in 2019. (Editor’s note: Read some of Margaret’s recollections of her time as a student at Onderstepoort hereafter!) THE FIFTH AND SIXTHWOMEN TO GRADUATE AS VETERINARIANS FROM ONDERSTEPOORT DID YOU KNOW ? Rudolph Bigalke & Gareth Bath >>> 35