Sydney Walter Josland

Sydney Walter Josland (born in Christchurch, New Zealand on January 30, 1904 and died in Lower Hutt near Wellington on June 28, 1991) was a New Zealand bacteriologist who specialised in research into Leptospirosis and Salmonella. He was the eldest son of Frederick Josland and Mary Amelia Kerr. Josland married Elsie Naviro Railton in Dunedin on December 20, 1927 and they had a son.

Education

Josland attended Christchurch Boys High School and later gained a Certificate of Proficiency in Bacteriology (he had started a medical degree but this was never completed) followed by a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Otago in Dunedin. He later completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from Victoria University of Wellington.

Early scientific career

Josland worked as a medical technician in the Bacteriology Division of the Health Department of the University of Otago Medical School during the 1920s. Accompanied by his family, he arrived in Upper Hutt near Wellington in 1929, at the invitation of Dr Cyril Spottiswoode Moy Hopkirk, to set up a biochemistry laboratory at the Wallaceville Animal Research Centre. [Harvnb|Tenquist|1990|p=41.] Josland later became Chief Bacteriologist at the Centre, where, in addition to working under Dr Hopkirk, he worked under Dr Ira James Cunningham and Dr John Francis Filmer.

Until 1930, no organised biochemical work had been undertaken in New Zealand on the blood and urine of normal cattle and sheep. Josland decided that his first priority should be an attempt to determine the normal values and limits for the purpose of standards. This was done and became the standards upon which future biochemical investigations were based. Josland directed biochemical work towards various cattle and sheep diseases, including eclampsia, temporary sterility in cattle and pulpy kidney in lambs, blood from the latter showing no deviation from the normal. [Harvnb|Tenquist|1990|p=42.]

He undertook post-graduate training in Adelaide, Australia in 1935 where he studied blood analysis techniques under Dr Cedric Stanton Hicks (later Sir and Emeritus Professor of Human Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Adelaide).

Military career

Before the Second World War Josland was a Captain in the Twenty-fifth (Wellington) Battalion of the New Zealand Territorials (his military career began in 1917 as a cadet). He had earlier trained in the First Battalion and the Second C Battalion of the Otago Regiment. Josland went to the Second World War in the Twenty-fifth Battalion (Third Echelon) of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force and returned with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served in Greece, Italy, the Middle East and North Africa. Josland was presented with the Efficiency Decoration by the Governor-General of New Zealand for his services to the New Zealand Army.

Post-war scientific career

Josland returned to the Wallaceville Animal Research Centre in 1946. The use of precise serological methods of antigenic analysis had made possible the identification of organisms of the Salmonella group which had been isolated from material of animal origin at Wallaceville. Josland was able to isolate only two organisms - Salmonella Typhi Murium and Salmonella Cholera Suis. This contrasted with overseas results where many types of Salmonella had been found. [Harvnb|Tenquist|1990|pp=91-92.]

Josland was the first to investigate the use of a vaccine to control Salmonellosis in sheep. He discovered an injection of formalised alum-precipitated Salmonella Typhi Murium vaccine resulted in low and inconsistent antibody response. Even though a greater number of vaccinated animals survived following challenge, compared to unvaccinated animals, he concluded that prophylactic vaccination was of little use. [Harvnb|Kerslake|2003|p=3.] He was able to recommend control measures but stressed that early diagnosis by the clinician, confirmed by laboratory analysis, was important if hygiene and isolation measures were to be successful. [Harvnb|Tenquist|1990|p=92.]

Investigation carried out by Josland lead to the isolation, in New Zealand, of the Salmonella organism from all species of farm animals, from watering holes, and from pastures contaminated by infected faeces of such animals, and he showed, in a series of comprehensive field studies, that the organism when deposited in dung, water or pasture, could remain viable for periods ranging up to twenty-eight weeks. Josland found that the survival of Salmonella was less on pasture exposed to sun compared to shaded pasture. [Harvnb|Murray|2000|p=269.]

In 1954, Josland resigned from the Wallaceville Animal Research Centre to become Chief Bacteriologist at the National Health Institute, Department of Health, in Wellington where he continued to specialize in research into Leptospirosis and Salmonella. He made considerable contributions to the knowledge of these diseases and published thirty articles about them in Australasian medical and scientific journals.

Josland was an Associate of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry and an Honorary Life Member of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists. From 1960 until his retirement in 1972 he taught science at Heretaunga College in Upper Hutt.

Published articles

*Josland, S. W., "The Experimental Transmission of Salmonella Cholerae Suis Infection in Swine." New Zealand Department of Agriculture, Wellington, New Zealand.
*Josland, S. W., "Salmonellosis of Pigs". New Zealand Department of Agriculture, Wellington, New Zealand.
*Josland, S. W., "A Study of the Blood of Healthy Sheep and Cattle in New Zealand." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. XIV, No. 5, April, 1933, pp298-308.
*Josland, S. W., "The Effect of Pregnancy and Parturition on Some Blood and Urinary Constituents in the Ewe." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, March, 1934, pp359-363.
*Cunningham, I. J. and Josland, S. W., "The Determination of Magnesium in Blood Serum". New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. XVI, No. 1, July, 1934, pp28-29.
*Josland, S. W. and Lugg, J. W. H., "A Note on the Colorimetric Estimation of Cobalt in Solution by Means of Nitroso-R-Salt." Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, Vol. XIV, 27 July, 1936.
*Josland, S. W., "The Effect of Feeding Cobalt to Rats." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 18, October, 1936, pp474-480.
*Josland, S. W., "Total Ash of Sheeps' Bones as an Index to Calcification." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 18, January, 1937, pp665-668.
*Josland, S. W., "The Effect of Feeding Excess of Cobalt to Healthy Sheep." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 19, June, 1937, pp31-37.
*Askew, H. O. and Josland, S. W., "The Rate of Excretion of Cobalt by Sheep After Drenching with Cobalt Chloride." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 18, May 1937, pp888-892.
*Josland, S. W. and McNaught, K. J., "Further Observations on the Production of Cobalt Polycythaemia in Rats." New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 19, February, 1938, pp536-540.
*Josland, S. W., "Salmonellosis of Swine in New Zealand." Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 23, October, 1947, pp292-293.
*Josland, S. W., "The Identification of Salmonella with Special Reference to Serological Methods." Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 3, No. 4, October, 1948, pp51-54.
*Josland, S. W., "A Note on the Use of Hydroquinone Enrichment Media for the Isolation of Salmonella." Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 4, No. 1, 1949, pp5-6.
*Josland, S. W., "The Identification of S. Bovis Morbificans Infection in New Zealand." Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 4, No. 3, July, 1949, pp34-35.
*Josland, S. W., "Salmonella Infections of Animals in New Zealand." Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 26, No. 9, September, 1950, pp249-253.
*Josland, S. W., "Survival of Salmonella Typhi Murium on Various Substances Under Natural Conditions." Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 27, No. 10, October, 1951, pp264-266.
*Josland, S. W., "A Further Note on the Serological Identification of Salmonella Cultures." Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 7, No. 2, July, 1952, pp31-34.
*Josland, S. W., "Salmonella Types in New Zealand." New Zealand Medical Journal, Vol. 51, No. 283, June, 1952, pp180-184.
*Josland, S. W., "The Identification of Salmonella Saint Paul in New Zealand." Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 8, No. 109, 1953, pp3-5.
*Josland, S. W., "The Identification of Salmonella Senftenberg in New Zealand." Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 8, No. 2, April, 1953, pp22-24.
*Josland, S. W., "Observations on the Aetiology of Bovine and Ovine Salmonellosis in New Zealand." New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Vol. 1, December, 1953, pp131-136.
*Josland, S. W., "Additional Salmonella Types in New Zealand." New Zealand Medical Journal, Vol. 53, No. 297, October, 1954, pp486-488.
*Josland, S. W., "The Immunogenic Properties of Salmonella Typhi Murium in Sheep." New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Vol. 2, March, 1954, pp2-7.
*Josland, S. W., "The Infective and Immunogenic Properties of Salmonella Cholerae Suis in Weaner Pigs." New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Vol. 2, June, 1954, pp41-46.
* Josland, S. W., "Observations on the Nutritional Requirements of Leptospirae and the Maintenance of Leptospiral Cultures". Journal of the New Zealand Association of Bacteriologists, Vol. 10, No. 3, October, 1955, pp47-49.
*Josland, S. W., "Additional Salmonella Types in New Zealand. III." New Zealand Medical Journal, Vol. 55, No. 306, April, 1956, pp139-140.
*Allen, R. E., Cashmore, S., Josland, S. W. and Scott, H. M., "Survey Work on Human Leptospirosis in New Zealand." New Zealand Medical Journal, Vol. 56, No. 312, April, 1957, pp128-131.
*Josland, S. W., "Additional Salmonella Types in New Zealand. IV." New Zealand Medical Journal, Vol. 57, No. 318, April, 1958, pp155-156.
*Josland, S. W. and Norris, D. M., "Additional Salmonella Types in New Zealand. V." New Zealand Medical Journal, Vol. 58, August, 1959, pp504-506.

Additional articles

*Josland, S. W., "Infection with Salmonella Bovis Morbificans". Animal Health Notes, Vol. IX, No. 8, 19 August, 1948, p134. Information Circular, Animal Research Centre, Wallaceville.
*Josland, S. W., "Salmonellosis of Cattle". Animal Health Notes, Vol. X, No. 9, 20 September, 1948, pp157-159. Information Circular, Animal Research Centre, Wallaceville.

References

Bibliography

*Hickey F., "Salmonella Infection in New Zealand. A Public Health Hazard. Investigations at Wallaceville". New Zealand Agriculturist, Vol. VII, No. 9, August, 1952, pp3-4.
*Jensen, H., "Directory of New Zealand Science." The New Zealand Association of Scientific Workers, Wellington, New Zealand, 1962.
*Josland, S. W., "Poems 1941 - 1945." Puriri Press, Auckland, New Zealand, 2005. ISBN 0-908943-29-6.
* Kerslake, J. I., "Salmonella Brandenburg in New Zealand Sheep: The Development of a Serological Diagnostic Test and a Case Control Study. A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Veterinary Studies at Massey University." University Thesis (M. V. Stud.), Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, February, 2003.
* Murray, C. J., "Environmental Aspects of Salmonella" in Wray, A. and Wray, C., (Editors), "Salmonella in Domestic Animals." CAB International, Wallingford, United Kingdom, 2000. ISBN 0-851992-61-7.
*Tenquist, J. D., "Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory: A History." MAF Technology, Wallaceville Animal Research Centre, Upper Hutt, New Zealand, 1990. Listed Invalid ISBN|0-447-08124-X |comment=the book can be found in the National Library of NZ using this ISBN.
*"Obituary." Upper Hutt Leader, September, 1991.