 The offer never came through, however, as Kerr died of malarial fever in Geneva on 7 April 1923, aged forty-seven.Perhaps influenced by his uncle's early death, Josland commenced studying towards a medical degree at the University of Otago in Dunedin.He did not finish the degree, due to financial constraints, but gained a Certificate of Proficiency in Bacteriology and Clinical Pathology from the University in 1926.