Career
In 1916. In the First World War, Filmer served with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in Greece and Salonika. On his return to Australia, Filmer commenced private practice in Katanning in Western Australia. In 1925, he joined the Department of Agriculture in Fremantle.
Filmer worked on the problem of Denmark Disease or Enzootic Marasmus.
"Bush sickness" had imposed severe restrictions on animal production in New Zealand. The use of iron compounds had resulted in a partial though precarious control of the disease.
Filmer and Underwood showed that the beneficial effect of iron compounds resided in the minute amount of cobalt present as an impurity. This meant that the way was open for complete control of bush sickness and allied wasting diseases.
The two men suggested that the effect of cobalt on cattle and sheep might be mediated through “some growth factor for whose formation cobalt is necessary”.
This clearly foreshadowed the discovery of vitamin B12 and proof that the role of cobalt as an essential trace element is exerted through this vitamin. Filmer moved to Victoria in 1936 and took up the position of Veterinary Research Officer with the Western Districts Research Association in Camperdown. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1938 where he soon became director of the Animal Research Division of the Department of Agriculture, a position he held until his retirement in September 1960.
Soon afterwards, the University of Melbourne conferred on Filmer the degree of Doctorate.V.Sc. for a thesis on his work on cobalt deficiency.
In 1954, Filmer was elected an honorary Associate of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He was President of the New Zealand Grasslands Association in 1955.
In 1961, Filmer was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Society of New Zealand. In the same year, he received the Imperial Service Order in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Filmer was twice President of the New Zealand Veterinary Association and he was elected a Life Member in 1961.
In 1968, Massey University conferred on Filmer the degree of Honorary Doctor of Science and in 1971 he was elected a Life Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.