Letters YOU’VE JUMBLED THE PROFESSORS I read the article about Patrick SoonShiong (p 31-32) with nostalgic interest. I well remember Patrick as a vibrant and entertaining intern in Professor Tom Bothwell’s unit at the old Joburg Gen in 1975 when I was his registrar. He was indeed the first doctor of colour to be employed at a “white” hospital and he was paid less than his white contemporaries. During the webinar he paid tribute to the professors he trained under including one “Michael Boswell” – I think this is surely a combination of Professors Michael Kew and Tom Bothwell. Probably too late to put this right. rofessor Andrew MacPhail P (BSc 1967, MBBCh 1971, PhD 1982)
Ed’s note: So right, Dr Patrick SoonShiong (MBBCh 1975) was referring to Professor Michael Kew (MBBCh 1961, DMed 1968, PhD 1974, DSc Med 1982) and Professor Thomas Bothwell (MBBCh 1948, DSc honoris causa 1994) RURAL BOY TRAVELLING ON A TRAM I recall quite vividly my enrolment at Wits in 1948 as a 16-year-old from a largely rural background. It was such an exciting time and Wits had such an excellent reputation. What a privilege to study there I thought! Living in Boksburg (we could not afford residence for myself and my brother), it took a bicycle ride to the station, a fast train to JHB and a double-decker tram to get to Wits. Some nostalgia for those times still lingers with me across the gulf of many years. Our Chem Eng Class of 1952 had a memorable reunion at our house here in Durban in 2002, with some classmates even coming from Canada. I was inspired by our professors 8 WITS REVIEW
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like this that one realises just how many lovely, supportive people there are in the world. Jenty Young, daughter of 100-year-old alumnus Dr John Michael Welchman (MBBCh 1950)
Image: theheritageportal
in chemistry Professor H Stevens, who received an OBE for his work on mustard gas in the Great War, and Dr Otto Backeberg (MSc 1926, PhD 1934, LLD honoris causa 1972) admired and inspirational teacher of organic chemistry. I also revered Professor Arthur Bleksley (DSc 1937) in applied mathematics. Famed researchers Philip Tobias and Sydney Brenner were contemporaries, vying for presidency of the SRC. I think it was the early interest kindled in chemistry and in the power of mathematics that later propelled me to further studies in Canada and to research in those so exciting areas – and to my desire to inspire interest and enthusiasm in young minds.
As ever, the arrival of the online edition of the WITSReview, causes me to think about my alma mater. And, also as ever, I head to the obituary pages first for no morbid reason but simply because there are usually names there to which I can relate in various ways. I also read your opening remarks and must agree wholeheartedly with what you said. This has been a year like none other – and it looks like carrying on well beyond its calendar-based termination. I hope you and yours have managed to steer clear of the virus. Thankfully, my family and I here in England have done, so far. Brian Austin (BSc Eng 1970, PhD 1986)
David Raal (BSc Eng 1952)
VOL 44 As always this is an outstanding journal that you have delivered and makes us all very proud of Wits. In a very challenging time, you continue to describe a full palette of activities and contributions that Wits has made and continues to make to furthering and spreading knowledge. This publication deserves wide distribution and recognition. Congratulations. John Teeger (BCom 1969), New York
Thank you for the commemoration of dad’s 100th birthday in the WITSReview. In fact, a couple of people who had lost contact with our family got in touch as a result. Thank you for getting in touch. It’s at times
VOL 45 Fabulous April edition of WITSReview, just finished reading it. Made me think I should write to congratulate y’all, then remembered former editors should not write letters-to-the-editor in their dotage, then thought stuff that thought too. Praise is always welcome, it’s just the knowing better attitude we must avoid. So well done, you and your staff. No criticism. A suggestion: perhaps you should consider a letters section. Peter Sullivan, friend of Wits
