Chapter 20

This was a memorable year for me, being the year in which I had my first work-oriented overseas visit. As will unfold, this experience greatly helped in my later career. I had been some 15 years in the scientific work force, over ten of which were with CSIRO. I had been working on contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and the pleuropneumonia group of organisms (PPLO) containing the microbiological agent causing this disease (later named the Mycoplasma group and later again the Mollicutes). There were Institutes in other countries that were carrying out research on these organisms. There was no one else in Australia working on mycoplasmas. It was understandable that I wanted very much to visit those Institutes to compare notes and meet the workers whose papers I continued to read. I had been expecting for some time to be permitted to visit these laboratories, as I felt it was about time for my turn. Those in charge, especially the Chief, Dr. T.S. Gregory, were slow to recommend officers for such "trips" and the Executive did not move without a recommendation. There were some Divisions of CSIRO in which all Research staff could look forward to a visit every six years or so, and others in which staff had to wait twice as long. Funding was the main problem, I believe, but for other reasons, including political ones, priorities were set by the Executive among Divisions and of course there were many demands on available resources in the expensive business that was and still is CSIRO. Apart from having to be next in line in the Division to be recommended for an overseas visit some sort of reassurance was sought that the successful candidate would stay on in the Division on return (and presumably perform even better than before).
Thanks to Dick Hudson and Jim Whittem I was finally recommended to go and a lengthy, busy round of laboratory visits was planned together with a fixed period working at a laboratory on one specific project! This additional requirement was some bureaucrat’s idea for inclusion in all trips. It could be a good plan in some circumstances but as it happened it did not work out well for me. Right at the planning stage I could see that the trip was going to be hard work. Weekends were not allocated for rest; all travel was arranged to fall on those days where possible. In the weeks before leaving I wrote letters over TSG's signature to the various workers I was planning to visit to arrange convenient dates. Then it all had to be brought together into a feasible agenda. All was ready by early March and on Sunday the 7th March I finally farewelled family, Dick Hudson and his wife Margaret and Frank Yeats too, as I recall, at Melbourne airport on a 727 flight to Sydney. Left Sydney at noon on a Boeing 707 (BA 701). First stop was Darwin where the overseas terminal was a joke-- virtually just tin sheds. Singapore however had manicured grass stretching from landing strip and taxiways to the well-constructed terminal buildings. Next stops were Calcutta and then Karachi, both presenting in steamy heat. The tarmac was fenced off with cyclone wire through which peered hundreds of dark-skinned local inhabitants. Late as it was even children were there, presumably pressing for a sight of those lucky enough to arrive in the large aircraft, the affluent overseas travellers.
The next stop was Beirut with a magnificent terminal, lots of police and efficient, attractive ground hostesses. Here I was to make a stopover, staying at the Hotel Biarritz. The unfavourable impression of this place and surroundings gained at 4 a.m. when very tired was happily replaced by the improved appearance visible by the light of a bright cool day.
The street signs were in French and Arabic and most of the taxis were Mercedes. I travelled in one to the Near East Animal Health Institute where Dr. Henry Chu works when in Lebanon.
Snow was visible on inland mountains but the deep blue sea and white sands by the shore were inviting enough for swimmers. After the visit, I took a bus tour to Byblos with its old Roman and Phoenician ruins, 45 minutes hectic driving away from Beirut.
The next day I was up at 1.15 am to continue the flight to the UK. At the airport I noticed a woman who had lost her luggage. Another woman, resplendent in a vicuna coat was helping her. I also offered helpful advice, despite my inexperience of overseas travel. I met the husband as he returned to the group after buying a bottle of bourbon. Later I sat with these two in the aircraft, and they turned out to be ex-Australians. He was a consultant urologist and they lived in posh Cadogan Square in London, from where he commuted to Guy's Hospital. They said “Guy’s” in hushed tones indicating the respect in which it is apparently held. (Especially if that is where you earn a fabulous income). However I will say that in spite of their obvious social position they were ready with invitations to dine with them in London. We flew to Rome and were over the Alps at dawn. What a wonderful sight that was!
There was fog over London, so my first sight of London was of the Post Office tower rising above the level of the fog. After some time circling we found a gap and landed. It was cold, about –20 C, and one of my early memories was of the snowflakes on the deep blue, velvety surface of a London Bobby's helmet. The Australian Scientific Liaison Office was in Africa House in Kingsway, and that is where I headed. Formalities over I lunched in a nearby English pub with Arch Vasey who was formerly at our laboratory. Later I was able to ring Bill Snowdon who was at Pirbright in the early stages of his virology career. We arranged to meet.
Next I went by taxi to the Tavistock Hotel where I collapsed on to the bed for 15 hours' sleep. Next morning the opportunity came for a stroll around near the hotel and I was delighted to see the Old Curiosity Shop and Lincoln's Inn Fields. Later on I took the train to Cambridge where I was to work for the next few weeks.
The work done during my stay is recorded in a report that may be inserted into the appendix of this story. Out of work hours I was fortunate to be taken to various notable sights around Cambridge. In the Elizabethan town of Lavenham Dr. Henry Chu took me to lunch. This was at the Swan Hotel where we ate roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, feeling that this was the genuine article. Another interesting sight was the Norman Abbey at Bury St Edmonds. No doubt I observed many activities and mannerisms in these initial encounters with the English as one does when first in a foreign environment. At the moment all I can recall is the difficulty in following the thought processes of Henry Chu, whose Asian mind had me grasping wildly at times for the logic in a sequence of comments. One trivial observation that interested me was that no one in the laboratories used loose-leaf sheets held in binders as we do. All seemed to prefer to use bound notebooks. Is this true for all of England?
Chu was very thoughtful. Although Audrey Newnham had lent me a bicycle to get to work, Chu left me his car when he went off to Lebanon. He kept unusual hours sometimes going to work at 3 a.m., and could do with about 3 hours’ sleep without showing effects of sleep loss.
On 20/3/65 I went to London with Audrey Newnham and caught a train to Woking to be with Bill and Nola Snowdon who were currently at Pirbright. We drove to Stonehenge in temperatures of 40 to 50oF and I stayed with them overnight. Next day we had an hilarious trip to Windsor Castle. On the ramparts we were overlooking Runnymede, I believe, and the wind was freezing. This was the site of the signing of Magna Carta, Later we went through London, past many of the well known buildings that I was seeing for the first time, including No. 10 Downing St., Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Cathedral. It was an interesting and a fun time.
The University is the mainstay of the town of Cambridge, and is beautifully set close to the river Cam. The area around the river is referred to as the “backs” and in spring is a riot of colour from flowering bulbs. There is an atmosphere in Cambridge that is hard to define, but it was responsible for the feeling I got that the very walls oozed learning. Does a long period of occupation give a room or building an atmosphere, apart from carbon dioxide, that is?
Despite the individualism of people practising science one felt that they were all committed to the great goal of knowledge. As a matter of fact, a few years later Graham saw Cambridge and was heard to say that he "felt he could really study here in Cambridge". However those with whom I came in contact were doing work that I felt was of no higher standard than was being done at home. Granted there were new techniques and the knowledge of the literature was more up to date and thus ahead of Australia, but the differences could be accounted for by the proximity of many laboratories in UK and Europe and the constant exchange of personnel among these laboratories. I can only apply these remarks to the School of Veterinary Science.
My letters to Marcia and family show that in Cambridge there was quite a lot of social activity and happily I was included in many gatherings. Here I mixed with work colleagues but also with a range of well-educated interesting people from different disciplines. Our children will remember Dr. Chu in Lebanon who was one of them. Some Australians were amongst them, notably Ron Wells, Stirling Hogarth-Scott and Dr. Carne. The letters detail almost every move I made and it would be tiresome to provide it all here. Social activity was quite frequent, gatherings being sometimes at people's houses or rooms, otherwise at public restaurants, Institute rooms and so on, just as would occur here with some groups of people. It was within the halls that the full feeling of tradition was experienced, which made these venues special. Externally there was flagged paving and old stone walls with huge doors that would keep out an army, and inside the high ceilings lay on panelled walls decorated with paintings of past incumbents. The rubbed woodwork on banisters and pews, together with the worn steps tell of the real age of these buildings and speak of the vast numbers of students through the ages who trod these ways.
One episode that was of much greater value than it promised was my attendance at a Teachers and Research Workers Conference at Scarborough. One of the technical assistants, Muriel Boldero was keen for me to go and she had a hidden agenda. She would drive me up, but she would then be able to spend time with her relatives who lived nearby. As it turned out I was able to visit Harrogate where the grave of my brother Dick is, as well as that of another crew member, Syd Merrin from the Toowoomba area. Further to this I was able to get to South Shields from where the Cottew family came to Australia. I met a Mr. Hardy who had been a chauffeur to a Miss Jenny Cottew for many years. There had been three unmarried sisters living there. I found the little church where there was a family "vault", and the tablets on the outside named those interred there. The details will be found amongst the genealogy files rather than in this manuscript.
Easter occurred during the working visit to Cambridge, and I was encouraged to take advantage of the cessation of work for a few days to get to France and Switzerland, for a brief visit. Although just a 4-day glimpse of 2 countries, these days were magical. In Paris the Hotel Claridge in the Champs Elysee was old and comfortable. It was centrally situated not far from the Tuileries, and of course the Louvre. Where could one have stayed that was half as interesting and famous as the Champs Elysee? At Easter, allegedly, Parisiens flee the city. Tourists flock in. It seems to be particularly busy this year I am told. Groups of schoolchildren accompanied by an adult, probably from the teaching staff, are noticeable everywhere in the city. There is so much to see that is available on foot, particularly if the foot in question is healthy. In Australia a 50 minute flight takes one to just another Australian town. In Europe one takes a similar flight and arrives in a totally different culture. At night on arrival it was especially welcoming as the Arc de Triomph was lit up, so too were the street and the Tuilleries. The morning after arriving I was introduced to the Continental breakfast, with croissant, roll and pastry with butter and jam, and strong coffee. A coach trip took me to Napoleon's tomb, the Seine, the Louvre, Pigalle, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge and other sights. I went to a cafe that I had been to once before. I was attended to by the same young waitress who knew that I was English speaking. She said, "How do you like Paris?” Later she said sadly, "You haven't found a girl yet?” I said it all depended on whether you were looking for one, and she replied "Ah, you must be here on business". I went to the Louvre again and enjoyed it once more. I also went to a maritime museum that was full of interest.
Following this I flew to Zurich where I stayed at the Hotel Carlton Elite with which I was most impressed. I was puzzled however by a contraption in the bathroom. The bath, shower, toilet and hand basin were all customary appliances, but this other sort of bowl with a plug did not seem to have an easily recognisable purpose. I ended up doing my washing in it--after all it had a plug and two taps. Only much later did someone explain to me what a bidet was used for.
Apart from walking around Zurich and enjoying the sights and the beautifully displayed goods in the shops, I took a coach tour that took me through villages, countryside and arrived at Lucerne, so prettily set on the lake, with such interesting bridges and towers. I carried back such great sights in my mind to Cambridge, that even though I had to resume work, I felt that I had profited well from the few days that I had been away.
A visit to Moredun gave me glimpses of Edinburgh and I enjoyed a short drive into the countryside. The Scots were so proud of their country that it did not take much to get them out and about in it. I also visited Lasswade and Edinburgh Hospital, then back to England to see Dr DG ff Edward and Ron Leach in Kent, and the Central Veterinary Laboratory at Weybrdge. Here I should insert the final paragraph of my Report. “This was my first opportunity to visit overseas workers and the experience was very worthwhile. It was unfortunate that the time spent within the Veterinary School at Cambridge was not more rewarding, but the virtual dissolution of the section was unexpected. In contrast, I gained much from visiting other laboratories and talking with experienced worker in the Mycoplasma field. Many of these became friends and we made contact often over the years.”
The working period at Cambridge came to an end and I set off for the rest of the world! Copenhagen was first on the list. As well as visiting mycoplasma workers here I contacted Torquil Haas and his wife, Aase, who is Inga Whittlestone’s sister. They were most hospitable and offered a meal and a trial of the plum wine that was stored in carboys downstairs. They took me to the Round Tower, where a Czar of Russia had driven a coach and four up a spiral ramp that wound up to the top. Presumably it was meant for pedestrians only. We saw the statue of the mermaid that seems to be the icon of the city. A young friend Jorgen Unschied who took me to the Tivoli Gardens relieved the Haas family. Now well known to tourists, I had never heard of it at that stage. The park was brilliantly lit, with floodlights on trees and fountains, while at various venues around the gardens, orchestras; actors and singers all performed to the delight of the many strollers in the area.
I stayed in the Hotel Osterport that was built like a railway carriage about 200 yards long. My room was small and had no facility for washing. When I donned a gown and stepped outside, I found that I was visible to anyone in the whole length of the corridor. Further, I seemed to provoke giggles in a couple of chambermaids in the passage. Was this my appearance, was I not expected to wash in the daytime, or was I overdressed? Quien sabe?
I took the train to Aarhus, passing through Odense, the home of Hans Christian Anderson. Some English speaking Danes in the carriage pointed out items of interest. We also boarded a modern ferry for part of the trip. In Aarhus, I stayed in a Hotel at the quayside, Hotel Ritz. Here many ferries leave for nearby Sweden. For the first time I met Eyvind Freundt the main mycoplasmologist here, with a pioneer’s reputation. I did not know then, but I would see him quite a lot over the next 30 years, and even spend time in his laboratory on another occasion. Marcia and I also came here on our 1976 trip. After talking shop in the day, I was invited to a party. Unwittingly downing the 3 “innocuous” drinks, I found the night getting increasingly hazy and realised that the drinks were very potent. It was their equivalent of schnapps or water of life, “Aqua vite”. My letter to Marcia later in the night amazingly detailed the dishes served in the meal, although I have always thought that dinner passed me by somewhat, while in a less than conscious state. The flight back to Copenhagen was at medium height so I was able to see the type of countryside. It was green and flat and interspersed with brown fields, and views of the sea.
I visited two Dr Linds at work and was invited to dinner. They lived in an apartment and had no children. Entree consisted of 6 or 7 long stalks of asparagus with bread rolls, main course was served in a huge pot and was very fluid, but containing strips of chicken-apparently it was coq au vin, but I did not know that. There were no vegetables, but the third course was a salad mostly consisting of lettuce leaves and pepper. What intrigued me greatly was their accepted method of getting down to the “last drop” by breaking off pieces of roll and mopping up the fluid with this. Coffee followed the salad.
The next stop was Amsterdam aboard a Caravelle jet. The Apollo Hotel was very modern and spacious. From my window I looked over many canals and buildings. I could also see the two front-desk clerks during slack periods, racing out the back where they had fishing rods attached to the railing overhanging the canal. I avoided fish for dinner, but it was delightful anyway. I have just realised why my letters contained the descriptions of good food at this time. It was because I had been existing for the best part of three months on cheap cafe meals in England, and the change to good Hotel food was worthy of mention. The entree was new herring with chopped onion followed with a beautifully tender 1 inch steak, green beans, and croquettes of potato with attached flakes (looking like Lux but probably thin almond slices) and red pepper with baby corn. All this was on a bed of mashed potato marked as with a trowel on mortar by a brickie, a herring bone pattern. The steak was also on a bed but this time it looked like another piece of meat with breadcrumbs. I desired this too, but it was not served nor was the bed of potato. As was often done in the continental hotels, a table was drawn up beside yours, and a spirit lamp was lit under a hot plate. All the subsequent activity of serving was carried out on that table, until the dish was ready for the client. A portion of everything was held in reserve in a dish on the hot plate, to be offered later.
I visited Dr Charlotte Ruys who was interested in human mycoplasmas, and she and her assistants were quite delightful to be with, so friendly, sincere and unaffected. She dropped me at Amstel station, where I caught the train to Utrecht. Here I visited the Tropical Medicine Institute mainly because Hudson had suggested seeing an old colleague, Dr Wilson, who was no help with mycoplasmas. I met a Dutch mycoplasmologist who was rather taciturn, although years later I had more to do with her and she was quite pleasant. On returning to the Hotel in Amsterdam, I was intrigued to find in my room a card with goodnight in 9 languages and a little block of chocolate with it.
From Amsterdam the route to Montreal took us over Greenland and we saw many icebergs despite being so high up. It was the first time I had recognised icebergs and judging by the interest caused when I announced it to those around me in the plane, not many others had seen them either. Soon most of the passengers were over one side of the plane and the cabin staff might have begun to think they had a problem on their hands. In Montreal the Hotel was not well situated for walks so I rang an engineer whom I had met on a tour in Paris. Briefly, he picked me up at the Hotel and devoted much of the day to taking me around. We went to McGill University and the proposed 1967 site for the Expo, where the Metro was being planned. The reason for his being in Paris was to investigate the Paris Metro. St Joseph’s Oratory, the city buildings and even a walk up Mont Royale were also on the agenda. Walking up the Mount with a suit on, I became fully aware of the heat and humidity that Montreal can turn on for summer. It was hard to believe that this was Canada, as I had carried the images of cool lakes, with conifers in the background, and handsome colourfully dressed Mounted Police talking to beautiful girls outside log cabins with light snow on the ground. My friend Guy Masse invited me to dinner, and then explained that his wife was a teacher, and he did not want to burden her with preparation of dinner especially as she did not speak English, so we ate out. He introduced me to a national dish, canard a l’orange, which was delightful, and of course is now not uncommon here.
Next day I flew to Ottawa, prior to visiting an Institute in Hull. Ottawa was dignified as befits a capital city, but was also, dingy and disappointing. There were many imposing buildings like the US Capitols and some had verdigris on their copper domes, which had been a feature in Copenhagen. After the continent and UK, the huge sedan cars were ungainly, and, as they seemed to be driven by heavy-footed people especially taking off at the lights, they were very noisy. At Ottawa airport, there was time for a haircut and a wander through a small collection of aircraft including a Nieuwport Scout from WW1 and a Spitfire Mk 9 !
I flew from here to Syracuse in a Convair over, as I recall, the Fingerlake district from which comes the supply of humidity for New York State and other areas. From Syracuse to Ithaca an Air Taxi completed the journey, flying over wooded and farmed land. The houses in Ithaca were straight out of the Saturday Evening Post. There were wide curved streets, fringed with many trees, setting off the homes that were built in what we think of as quaint styles. There were Cape Cods, Old Dutch and occasional ranch style homes. Skip Carmichael looked after me showing me round the University that must be one of the prettiest campuses in the world. I stayed at a Motel in the town, but on another occasion bedded down in the Statler that was part of the University in the Faculty dealing with Hospitality. At Cornell I met Professor Asdell briefly and he gave me the address of his daughter Mary whom we had befriended when she had worked with Eric French in the early 60’s.
On to Newark and Washington, glimpsing the tall buildings of Manhattan in the background through the haze of pollution. In Washington I was able to replenish the money supply, and to accept an invitation to see something of the sights with Mary. We drove to Mt Vernon to see the home of President Washington on the Potomac River. Again, time and the association with History especially the Civil War have lent an atmosphere to the house and grounds that made it an attractive venue. The next day I went to Bethesda, and met several mycoplasma greats for the first time including Joe Tully, Mike Barile, Norm Somerson, Chanock and a lass, Helen Smith, who later worked at CSL.
After leaving Washington I flew to Des Moines via Chicago (O’Hare) and went by Greyhound bus to Ames, Iowa. Here I experienced the high security of the National Animal Disease Laboratory, met Phil O’Berry, and others whose names escape me. At lunchtime I was taken to a meeting of the Kiwanis Club where I enjoyed a social event with about 50 young members. Phil had recently had Alan Pearce through and I was amused to learn that Alan had given Phil (apparently in all seriousness) the little gold kangaroo on a card, given to all passengers on Qantas at the time. At the Iowa State University, Dick Ross showed me around. It may be of interest that my experiences of Greyhound buses differed markedly from their appearance in the glamorous advertisements in glossy magazines. Unlike the handsome and well dressed patrons seen in these, my fellow travellers were nearly all unshaven, dirty, poorly dressed, and generally in the category of low-life.
I had some time in Denver, where I was able to meet Arthur Frazer for the first time and his wife Katherine, and her children Cynthia and Steven. We went to Red Rock Canyon with its natural amphitheatre, and had a picnic in the mountains beside a running stream with a beaver dam in it. The bush in these mountains was delightful. Denver is well set for access to the Rocky Mountains as we learned on a much later visit to Art. I enjoyed this very pleasant break before going on to Davis for some more interviews.
In Davis Henry Adler hosted my visit. He had been in our laboratory for nearly a year, earlier on. Most of the people I met were in the Avian Medicine group, but Don Jasper who was a mastitis expert was also interested in Mycoplasmas. Michael Studdert was doing a PhD in some section but was introduced, as he was a fellow Australian. Probably because the end of the trip was in sight, there are no letters to detail what I did in Davis, and as I have been back there on more than one occasion, I am not sure what took place on this particular visit.
In San Francisco I was able to go out to the Lafayette district and meet the Rosstons for the first time. They were due to leave for England the next day, and that is why, I guess, I found them absorbed in their own thoughts. If it had not been for the young girl (probably Jeannie) who showed some interest while we were sunning ourselves by the pool, and asked some questions, I need not have been there at all. Our later meetings with Ed, Maxine, Ed Jnr, Dick, Ellen and Jeannie have all been so pleasant that something had to be wrong on this day.
The remainder of 1965 was something of an anticlimax after the wonderful experience of working overseas and the excitement of meeting others working in the same general field of microbiology. That is not to say that I did not greet the family with great enthusiasm on my return after the longest absence they and I had so far endured.