Onderstepoort Centenary Stamp issue date: 8 October 2008 The South African Post Office celebrates the centenary of the Onderstepoort by issuing a miniature sheet and commemorative cover on 8 October 2008. Designed by Rachel-Mari Ackermann, the background of the miniature sheet features various indigenous farm animals. These illustrations were created on computer in duo tone. The stamp area of the miniature sheet shows the beautiful main building at Onderstepoort, which was built when Onderstepoort was established. Rachel illustrated it in water colour. The envelope is also illustrated in duotone tone and created on computer using illustration software applications. Microscopically enlarged images of pathogenic organisms are included here to draw attention to the valuable research done at Onderstepoort. At the beginning of the 20th century the available facilities to successfully combat animal diseases were totally inadequate. In order to control diseases like horsesickness, lung sickness and rinderpest a Veterinary Research Laboratory was built at Onderstepoort in 1908. Sir Arnold Theiler was commissioned to make a study of comparable laboratories in Europe and ensured that only the most modern concepts at the time were incorporated into the design and that no cost was spared to provide excellent facilities. Since then, Onderstepoort and the many generations of scientists since Theiler have made the facility a house-hold name. It has received international acclaim for its research by the ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, the production of suitable vaccines by Onderstepoort Biological Products, and the many scientists who have trained in the Onderstepoort Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Pretoria Onderstepoort’s contribution, with its proud history of scientific achievement in the understanding and control of serious diseases of livestock, as are the benefits from its veterinary training, to the economic growth of the country is certainly inestimable to the region and other African nations |