Dr Tielman Johannes Roos Scholtz

Dr. Tielman Johannes Roos Scholtz * 13 Junie 1887 Scholtzenhof † 11 November 1932 Pretoria

Dr. Tielman Jchannes Roos Scholtz died in the Volkshospitaal, Pretoria, on Friday, November 11th, from septic poisoning. On the preceding Tueday he had punctured his thumb with the bristle of an infected nailbrush, and though the small wound was promptly attended to, it festered, and on the following Wednesday he was seriously ill. He passed away quietly on Friday, notwithstanding all efforts to counteract the virulence of the infection.

Tielman Scholtz was born in 1887 in the district of Stellenbosch, and received his education at the Boys' High School and at the Victoria College, Stellenbosch. He then went to Holland, where he obtained his Arts diploma in 1914; in the same year he obtained the L.M.S.S.A. (London), and a year later he came back to South Africa. On his arrival here he at once obtained a commission in the S.A.M.C., and was one of the Commando Medical Officers who took part in General Botha's South-West Africa campaign. On his return he started practice in Pretoria, and was later on in partnership with Dr. Sthamer of that town. He was one of the surgeons on the staff of the local hospital, and represented the honorary visiting staff on its Board. He was also a member of the staff of the Volkshospitaal, and on it Committee of Management. Since 1927 he was a member of our Federal Council, representing the Northern Transvaal Branch. He married Miss Vera Roux, and leaves three children. We tender our heart-felt sympathy to his widow and children.

Dr. Lewis Robertson writes:-

Our city, the Pretoria Hospital, and the local medical profession are mourning a great loss in the death of Dr. T. J. Roos Scholtz.

Dr. Scholtz's medical services in Pretoria during the many years he has practised here have been of the highest order, and he was loved and adored by all his patients.

He rendered yeoman service to the Pretoria Hospital, first as Resident Medical Officer and later, since 1921, as Honorary Surgeon. Dr. Scholtz was a painstaking and conscientious worker, and always attended most promptly every call on his services. His reputation as a surgeon of high standing was not confined to Pretoria, but known over the length and breadth of the Northern, Eastern and Western Transvaal.

Dr. Scholtz was one of the S.A. Medical Council examiners for trained nurses. He also took a leading part in the affairs of the local branch of the Medical Association of South Africa, serving on the Council of the branch, and representing the branch on the Federal Council of the Medical Association since 1927.

He was elected in 1930 by his colleagues to represent the honorary visiting staff on the Hospital Board. He was always a very valuable member of the Hospital Board, and his loss will be keenly felt by all the other members who have had the opportunity of working with him.

His personal friends are numerous, and all admired his honesty of purpose and straight dealing.

Dr. Scholtz's memory will remain with us for many years. He has set an example of devotion to duty which will be hard to follow.

He was actively engaged in surgical work up to Wednesday night, and died as a result of attention to a patient suffering from a virulent infection: a risk he undertook without hesitation in the interests of his profession and the patient.

Dr. Theo. Wassenaar skryf:-

En so is Tielman Scholtz heengegaan, sonder waarskuwing, so te sê in die nag weggesteel. Dis maar 'n paar dae gelede dat ons nog saam rondom 'n tafeltjie by Turkstra koffie gedrink het.

Wie kon gedink het dat die prikkie in sy duim van 'n haartjie van die handeborsel, Dinsdag by 'n operasie, die begin van die end was. Die bloedvergiftiging het soos 'n warrelwind sy liggaam oorrompel en hom neergeslaan. Hy is feitlik in die tuig weggeruk. Vir die welsyn van sy pasjente is sy lewe opgeoffer. Was dit nie merkwaardig nie dat dr. Scholtz gedurende die laaste dae van sy lewe juis besig was om 'n pasjent te behandel met infeksie in die arm - presies dieselfde aandoening wat hom sou wegruk.

Ons het 'n groat snydokter verloor, en sy kollegas 'n goeie vrind en raadgewer. Die skrywer wat hom geken het as vriend, as dokter en as kollega, weet wat 'n steun jy aan hom had as vrind en wat 'n vertroue hy jou as dokter ingeboesem het. Hy had altyd 'n vriendelike oor vir jou moeilikheidjies. Selde of ooit het ek hom kwaad oor iemand hoor praat. In die vergaderinge van ons Mediese Vereniging het dr. Scholtz maar selde en min gepraat - hy was geen groot spreker nie en het om die rede herhaaldelik geweier om Voorsitter van die Noordelike Transvaalse Tak van die Mediese Vereniging te word - maar as hy opgestaan het om te praat dan het die vergadering gewoonlik aangeneem wat hy gesê het. Hy was algemeen bekend en algemeen bemind. Daar is seker geen tweede medikus in Pretoria wat so 'n wye vriendekring gehad het nie.

Ons kan dit nog nie besef dat hy weg is nie en ons sal sy gryskop - al was hy nog jong - en sy bekende figuur in die gryspak nog baie baie lank mis.

Bron: SA Medical Journal, November 26 1932. http://archive.samj.org.za/1932%20VOL%20VI%20Jan-Dec/Articles/11%20...