VN May 2023

Vetnuus | May 2023 22 David Mendel Burstein was born on 6 February 1943 in Johannesburg. He attended Houghton Primary School and King Edward (K.E.S) High School for Boys in Johannesburg. Initially, Dave began studying for a degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand which he gave up in his second year to study Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort, Pretoria University. Dave graduated as a veterinarian in 1967. Dave experienced a successful career in private practice, which he initially began by doing locums, starting off in an equine and sheep practice in Colesberg, Karoo, for five months, followed by various short-term locums all around South Africa. He went to the United Kingdom with his new bride, Susie, where he continued with locums between excursions to explore Europe. After a year of travelling, Dave and Susie returned to South Africa to work in a practice in Brits for four months, after which he joined a practice in Benoni for three years. In Boksburg, he turned his many skills to building, where he designed and self-built the first of his veterinary hospitals. Subsequently, Dave owned three hospitals and two clinics on the East Rand, all with modern, state-of-the-art equipment. Dave specifically enjoyed orthopaedic surgery and judiciously kept abreast with current developments in veterinary science through (imported) veterinary journals and Continuing Education courses. In addition, he obtained post-graduate qualifications in physiology and anatomy. IN MEMORY OF DAVID MENDEL BURSTEIN