	He took the examen artium in 1879 and enrolled in medicine studies. After leading a social life among the "Kristiania bohême", being engaged to Bokken Lasson for some years, he graduated with the cand.med. degree in 1893. He tried his luck as a general practitioner in Aalesund, but quit after three years. He was hired as a physician in Congo Free State (from 1908: Belgian Congo) in 1897, and remained here until 1920, except for a study leave at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) in 1902–03. 