WORLD TRAVELLER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 83, 9 April 1934, Page 11

WORLD TRAVELLER

OOM PAUL’S FAMILY DOCTOR A TRANSVAAL PIONEER JOHANNESBURG March Oom Paul’s family doctor, in the •course of his extensive wanderings round the world, has returned to the Transvaal and, with the Rand Club as his headquarters, has been revisiting the familiar countryside of his younger days and recalling many happy and amusing experiences, some of which ho related to a Rand Daily Nlail reporter who interviewed him yesterday. Dr. George S. Brock, M.8.E., M.D., F.R.C.P.E., F.R.S.E., was a pioneer of the Rand, but the greater part of his time in the Transvaal was spent at Rustenburg. He still recalls with n great deal of pride that, although a Scotsman, he spoke very little but the “Taal” for 12 years of his life. ‘‘And I still read it,” he said, producing a copy of Hendrik Brand's ‘‘Adriaan Hugo.” Dr. Brock first came to Johannesburg in 1887, after spending six years at Zastron, in the Free State. ‘‘l camo up. together with Mr. Willian Greathcad, in a Cape •cuit drawn by four horses,” he said. “It took about a week. We arrived in July, when it was bitterly cold, and there was no accommodation. “The better class of house in those days was built of paraffin tins,’’ he addl'd with a laugh. “ Eventually wo found a place— Wr’|;ht’s stables—where we spread rugs on the floor and prepared to sleep and, perchance, to dream. It was not to be, however, for we were awakened by an enormous population—of fleas. I have never seen so many in my life.” After those first days in the Transvaal Dr. Brock settled down in Rustenburg, where he later became district surgeon. It was during his six years’ stay there that he was the family doctor of the President of the Transvaal Republiv and a groat friend of the obi Boer warrior, General Joubert. Dr. Brock recalled many instances of treating the Kruger family—“Tant Sannio,” and he named a number of the children by their Christian names —“but never Oom Paul himself.’’ Decorated in Italy. In 1894 Dr. Brock returned to Enf* land on'\ to lea\p. shortly afterward* for Rome, where he spent the next. 2(1 years and where he was physician tc ihe British Hmbnssy. When Paly joined tl’F Allied forces after the out break of the war he became attached to an ambulance unit and becami director of a hospital. It was here that he was decorated by the King of Italy and made a Commander of the Orde’ of the Crown of Italy. After two years at the front, how 1 ever, Dr. Brock again returned to England, whore ho joined the Ministry of Public Services and then the Ministry of Pensions, where ho was medical inspector until ho retired <n 1927. But it is the Transvaal, with its evergreen memories, that occupies most of Dr. Brock’s thoughts.