Frank Arthur Verney

Abstract

Frank Verney (Born: 3 March 1874, Blockley, Worcestershire, England - Died: 16 March 1952, Kokstad, South Africa) qualified (MRCVS) in July 1896 at the Royal Veterinary College, London, winning several medals and the Fitzwygram Prize as best veterinary student in the British Isles. A few months later, in October 1896, he was appointed to the Natal Civil Veterinary Department as one of four veterinarians appointed on the recommendation of the Stock Commission in view of the menacing rinderpest. He served in Estcourt and, from April 1899, in Eshowe. During 1897 he worked with H. Watkins-Pitchford and Arnold Theiler and published his experiences with rinderpest in the Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics (1898). In 1909 Verney became principle veterinary officer of Basutoland (now Lesotho), where he remained for the rest of his career. His most notable achievement in Lesotho was the eradication of sheep scab under difficult conditions, considering that supplies to erect dipping facilities had to be transported into the mountainous hinterland on pack donkeys. (Source: S2A3 Biographical Database of Southern African Science https://www.s2a3.org.za/bio/Biograph_final.php?serial=2979)