After he passed his matric at Mossel Bay he went on to study at the Royal Veterinary College, London where he obtained his MRCVS in 1912.
After this, he practiced for one year in England and then returned to South Africa to work as an assistant to the renowned Sir Arnold Theiler at Onderstepoort. Between 1913 and 1919 he conducted research on Tuberculosis, Contagious Abortion and Botulism.