Hurbert Henri Malherbe

Hubert Henri Malherbe MA(Cantab) MB. CHB. MD(Rand) 1914 ~ 2005 Dr. Hubert Malherbe died peacefully at his home in Sandy, Utah on Thursday, 17th February 2005, after a very long neurological illness (Lewy Body Syndrome) which he bore with dignity and courage. Hubert was born in Pretoria, South Africa, his father Hedrick Malherbe, a prominent attorney, and his mother Muriel (Juta). Hubert had three older sisters, Margie, Muriel and Louise, all deceased. His schooling was at all the best schools, Michaelhouse in Natal, University of Cape Town where he began his BA when his call to Cambridge University in England came. He left South Africa and graduated from Gonville and Caius College with his BA then MA degrees in English Literature. Returning to South Africa he entered the South African Army and served with the Medical Laboratory Core in Kenya. On returning to Johannesburg he entered Medical School at the University of the Witwatersrand graduating with his MB. CHB equal to the US MD degrees. He completed his residency. on receiving a Rockerfellow Fellowship, he came to the United States and worked in the laboratory of doctors, Enders, Weller and Robbins (who later received the Nobel Prize for their work on the cultivation of Polio Virus). Dr. Malherbe joined the South Africa Institute for Medical Research at the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation where he became the Head of the Enteric Virus and Polio Vaccine Safety Control departments. Over the years he became an international authority on viruses, published many scientific papers on his findings of new and unknown viruses, wrote chapters in a number of medical scientific books and also published a book on Viral Cytopathology. In 1975 Dr. Malherbe received his high doctorate the MD for his thesis on viruses. In 1967 Dr. Malherbe was the first to describe the growth of the Marburg Virus in cell culture (Marburg Virus the precursor of the Ebola Virus) and he and his wife Margaret presented the findings at the International Marburg Conference held in Germany in 1969. Dr. Malherbe was known worldwide for his meticulous work. Dr. Malherbe and Margaret were invited to the United States and came in 1974 where they joined the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas. As a Professor he continued his research and teaching. Dr. Malherbe was a superb teacher greatly admired and respected by his students. In 1981, the Malherbes moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to explore the field of rapid viral diagnosis and he retired in 1984. Dr. Malberbe was a scientist, doctor and philosopher of the highest degree. He was such a gentle, compassionate man and is deeply mourned by his adoring wife Margaret, son Pierre, and grandchildren, Benedict and Nicollete in Sydney, Australia. There will be a Memorial Service for Hubert on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Baptist Catholic Church, 300 E. 11800 S. in Draper. Cremation private. No flowers. Contributions in Hubert's name can be made to: Fund for Neuro-Viral Research Western Institute for Biomedical Research P.O. Box 58719 Salt Lake City, Utah 84158. Funeral Directors - Jenkins-Soffe