HISTORY OF VETERINARY

SCIENCE

WE WILL DISCUSS SOME OF THE DETAILS WE DO KNOW:

THERE IS VERY

LITTLE TRULY

KNOWN ABOUT THE

HISTORY OF

VETERINARY

SCIENCE

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1710

1922

1825 BC

2010

1825 BC

THE KALUN PAPYRUS

Collection of Ancient Egyptian texts found in tombs dating

back to 1825 B.C.

Egyptian writings report they used herbs to treat animals.

There was a distinct difference between human and animals.

Possible basic understanding of animal anatomy and disease

Trained specialists were skilled obstetricians and given the

name of “overseer of cattle”

2500B.C.

ANCIENT DOCTORS

Other reports indicate:

Ancient medical practitioners worked on both human and

animals.

Primarily of transport and farm animals

Ancient practitioners knew every little of animal disease or

animal anatomy

Knowledge was scarce until the 17th and 18th Centuries

when a series of animal plagues struck Europe

1710

Cattle plague was first documented as a “disease”

European governing agencies compensated

farmers for destruction of infected animals

European government began supporting veterinary

research

The first recorded animal anatomy and disease

study

First vaccine developed in 1712

WHY DID THE GOVERNMENT HELP

IN 17TH CENTURY?EconomyEngland was struck by four separate plagues in the

1700s

VETERINARY MEDICINE

1761

First college in Lyon, France opened by Claude

Bourgelat

Primary focus was on farm animals

Over the next 10yrs private schools in Germany,

Sweden and Denmark began researching veterinary

science

UNITED STATES

1852-1866 Veterinary College of Philadelphia

1883 School of Veterinary Medicine at University

of Pennsylvania • Currently still open• Oldest veterinary program in the US

1863 AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)