Verwoerd, Daniel WynandWorld Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine. International Congress (44th : 2020 : Pretoria, South Africa)2020-05-042020-05-042020-02http://hdl.handle.net/2263/74458Presentation delivered at the 44th International Congress of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine held from the 27-29 of February 2020 at The Farm Inn Hotel and Conference Centre, Pretoria, South AfricaReference: This presentation is an abbreviated version of a chapter in the book Onderstepoort 1908-2008’ published for the centenary of Onderstepoort. It can be found at the website of the SA Veterinary History Society: www.vethistorysa@co.zaVirology is a relatively young scientific discipline only recognised at the Onderstepoort institute as a separate science in the mid-1950s by the establishment of an independent Section Virology. Before that, research on viruses was mainly carried out in its Section Protozoology and contributions were made by researchers in various other disciplines. For the present review important contributions to our knowledge of viruses and viral diseases will be discussed and only the main contributors identified. Fittingly the first breakthrough was the proof by Arnold Theiler in 1905 that the agent causing bluetongue {BT} in sheep is a virus by means of filterability studies, following in the footsteps of M’Fadyean who similarly proved in 1900 in London that African Horsesickness (AHS) is caused by a virus. Theiler also developed the first vaccines for both diseases consisting of infected blood from donor animals followed by hyper immune serum. He also developed the concept of antigenic multiplicity to explain failures after using the vaccines. (Read full abstract in the WAHVM 2020 proceedings https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/74425)10 slides : black and white photosPDFen©2020 World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine. Provided for educational purposes only. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the Association and individual authorsVeterinary medicine -- HistoryVirologists -- South Africa -- HistoryVirology -- HistoryVaccines -- HistoryEvent