A Social History of African Horse Sickness, C.1850-1920 Stefanie Josepha Emilie Vandenbergh

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A Social History of African Horse Sickness, C.1850-1920 Stefanie Josepha Emilie Vandenbergh THE STORY OF A DISEASE: A SOCIAL HISTORY OF AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS, C.1850-1920 STEFANIE JOSEPHA EMILIE VANDENBERGH THESIS PRESENTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (HISTORY) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH Supervisor: Prof. Sandra Swart MARCH 2009 DECLARATION: By submitting this thesis electronically I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously it its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. 16 February 2009 Copyright © 2009 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i ABSTRACT African horsesickness is a disease endemic in Sub Saharan Africa affecting horses, a non-native species, which are extremely susceptible to this disease. Both the ‘dunkop’ form (with its dramatic high fever, laboured breathing, frothy nasal discharge and sudden death) and the ‘dikkop’ form (with its swollen head and eyes and bleeding in the membranes of the mouth and eyes) have been visited upon equine populations and their human owners in successive epidemics through the earliest colonial settlement until recent times. This thesis traces the development of veterinary science in South Africa and the effect it had on the changing ideas surrounding African horsesickness. It explores not only the veterinary progress in the country but also the impact of the progress on African horsesickness as other diseases received attention. The discussion traces the disease from one of the major epidemics ever encountered in the country, in the mid nineteenth century, to the beginning of the development of veterinary services in South Africa when little was known about African horsesickness. It illustrates the implications of a country's struggle with animal disease, the reasons for a lack of knowledge and the ramifications of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute’s interventions. This thesis shows that African horsesickness not only had an impact on the veterinary developments of the country but was also indirectly involved in the South African War, 1899-1902. It demonstrates the impact of disease during wartime while illustrating the importance of horses during such difficult times. Thus, this thesis draws on works on animal diseases and on social history to explore not only the effect African horsesickness had historically on equines, but the effects it had more broadly on southern African society. This study is intended to bring insight into the social history of the disease itself: how it was experienced by livestock owners and also how settler and indigenous efforts were turned towards combating this dramatic disease. ii OPSOMMING Afrika-perdesiekte is ’n siekte inheems aan sub-Sahara-Afrika, en perde, as ’n nie- inheemse spesie, is die vatbaarste draer van hierdie siekte. Die “dunkop”-vorm (gekenmerk deur ’n geweldig hoë koors, swaar asemhaling, ’n skuimagtige afskeiding uit die neus en ’n skielike dood) sowel as die “dikkop”-vorm (gekenmerk deur ’n geswolle kop en oë en bloeding in die weefsel van die mond en oë) het perdepopulasies en hulle menslike eienaars in opeenvolgende epidemies getref vanaf die vroegste koloniale nedersettings tot in die laaste jare. Hierdie tesis volg die spoor van die ontwikkeling van veeartsenykunde in Suid-Afrika en die impak wat dit op die veranderende menings oor Afrika-perdesiekte gehad het. Dit ondersoek nie net die vooruitgang van veeartsenykunde in die land nie, maar ook die impak van hierdie vooruitgang op Afrika-perdesiekte namate dié siekte meer aandag getrek het. Die bespreking volg die siekte vanaf een van die grootste epidemies ooit in hierdie land in die middel negentiende eeu tot aan die begin van die ontwikkeling van veeartsenydienste in Suid-Afrika toe daar nog bitter min inligting oor Afrika-perdesiekte bekend was. Dit wys op die implikasies van die land se worsteling met hierdie dieresiekte, die redes vir die gebrek aan kennis, en die uitvloeisels van ingrype deur Onderstepoort. Hierdie tesis toon aan dat Afrika-perdesiekte nie net ’n impak op die ontwikkeling van veeartsenykunde in die land gehad het nie, maar ook ’n indirekte rol gespeel het in die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in 1899-1902. Dit dui op die invloed van hierdie siekte in die oorlogtyd en illustreer terselfdertyd die belangrike rol van perde in sulke moeilike tye. Hierdie tesis maak dus gebruik van werke oor dieresiektes en kultuurgeskiedenis om nie net die gevolge van Afrika-perdesiekte op perde in die geskiedenis te ondersoek nie, maar ook die impak wat dit in ’n breër sin op die samelewing in Suider-Afrika gehad het. Die doel van hierdie studie is om insig te bied in die kultuurgeskiedenis van die siekte self: hoe uiteenlopend dit deur diere-eienaars ervaar is, en hoe koloniste en buitelandse se pogings gefokus is op die bestryding van hierdie ernstige siekte. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all the people involved who made this thesis possible. To my supervisor, Dr. Sandra Swart who inspired me to write about this interesting topic. This would have not been possible without her guidance, valuable constructive criticism, ‘suggestions’, ideas and incredible insight in the topic. The entire history department at the University of Stellenbosch who assisted in every way possible and offered an incredible support basis. Gericke Library and their competent staff, especially Mimi van der Merwe from Africana Library as she was an incredible help with her unbelievable knowledge of available and possible sources. The National Libraries in Cape Town and Pretoria, especially Melanie Geustyn from Special Collections in Cape Town. Her insight and experience were indispensable. A special thanks to David Swanepoel from Onderstepoort Library as his remarkable enthusiasm and endless assistance provided me with a large amount of ideas and sources. Staff at archives in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town who facilitated the search for material and the long hours in the archives. Peter Gibson and Alan Guthrie from Kennilworth Quarantine Station for their valuable time to answer my questions and giving me new research ideas. To my ‘colleagues’, Chet Fransch and Lizé-Marie van der Watt, for their tremendous encouragements and support throughout this incredible process and journey. Thank you for doing this with me. Bennie, baie dankie, for your endless patience, tolerance and skilful ‘madness’ management during difficult and stressful times. You kept me balanced. To my parents who gave me this opportunity. Without them, this was never possible. To all, thank you… This thesis has been language edited by Kristin Van der Merwe. iv ABBREVIATIONS Secretary for Agriculture AGR Annexures to the votes and proceedings of the house of assembly AMPT PUBS Cape Colony Publications CCP Colonial Office CO Chief Veterinary Services CVS Under-Secretary for the Department of Agriculture DA Government House GH Government Secretary GS Cape Town Archival Repository KAB Legislative Council LC Lieutenant Governor LTG Political Secretary PSY Public Works Department PWD National Archives Repository, public records of former Transvaal Province TAB and its predecessors as well as of magistrates and local authorities (with SAB) Transvaal Agriculture Department TAD Transvaal Volunteers TVO Free State Archive Repository VAB v LIST OF FIGURES Chapter 2 Figure 1: page 58: General Louis Botha, Transvaal Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture; Dr. Arnold Theiler C.M.G., Government Veterinary Bacteriologist; and F.B. Smith, Director of Agriculture from Gutsche, T. ‘There was a man. The Life and Times of Sir Arnold Theiler, K.C.M.G. of Onderstepoort’. Chapter 3 Figure 1: page 97-98: The official disease rates of the 1854-55 epidemic,c published in 1856 from [H.A.11-’56] ‘Statement of losses in horses and cattle sustained in each division of the colony by the horse and lung sickness.’ Printed by order of the House of Assembly, Cape Town: May 1856. Chapter 4 Figure 1: page 134: A fully equipped British soldier and his horse from Pott, R.B. ‘With the 36th West Kent Squadron Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa’ January 9 1900- July 19 1901, diary entry: Saturday 12 January, 1901. Figure 2: page 135: Weight to be carried by English horses during the war from Du Toit, K. ‘Boerperd, die Geskiedenis van die S.A. Boerperd’, draft manuscript, 2007. Figure 3: page 137: Off-loading of imported horses from the ship when arrived in Cape Town from Pott, R.B. ‘With the 36th West Kent Squadron Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa’ January 9 1900-July 19 1901, diary entry: Saturday 12 January, 1901. th Figure 4: page 140: Horses in cattle trucks from Pott, R.B. ‘With the 36 West Kent Squadron Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa’ January 9 1900-July 19 1901, diary entry: Saturday 12 January, 1901. vi Figure 5: page 146: The Veterinary Service with Units, remounts and hospitals consisted of from Smith, F. ‘A Veterinary History of the War in South Africa, 1899- 1902.’ 1919. Figure 6: page 165: Notice on the market buildings during the siege of Kimberley from Sessions, H. ‘Two years with Remount Commissions’, London: Chapman and Hall, 1903. Figure 7: page 170: The admissions to the Field Hospitals from Smith, F. ‘A Veterinary History of the War in South Africa, 1899-1902.’ 1919. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration....................................................................................................................................i Abstract......................................................................................................................................
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