Jaundice in sheep in South Africa – confusion and resolution

Abstract

Veterinarians trained in Europe dominated the research fraternity in South Africa up to the Second World War and scientific knowledge and investigations were therefore based on what was known in Europe or other countries with long veterinary traditions. When faced with the many baffling, unknown diseases of Africa, early investigators trained in Europe floundered. Jaundice in sheep was encountered in many different circumstances and could be accompanied by other signs, notably photosensitisation. Confusion resulted, not helped by the many observations and opinions of farmers, who had given the condition the name of ‘geeldikkop’ or yellow swelled head. As Theiler noted, farmers were great observers but poor analysts of their observations. (read full abstract in the WAHVM 2020 proceedings https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/74425)