Latest News
Full details regarding WAHVM 2020 are now available.
For details on how to book accommodation, travel arrangements and a provisional programme download our information pack here.
UPDATE! WAHVM 2020, South Africa.
From 7th-10th October 2019 the Real Academia Nacional De Medicina De España, in collaboration with the
Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno Foundation, are holding a tribute to Mr. Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
Full details, including the programme, can be found at https://www.ranm.es/sesiones-y-actos/proximas-sesiones/4561-vi-semana-cajal-7-al-11-de-octubre-de-2019.html
VI Cajal Week October 7 to 11, 2019.
Members are advised of two new recent publications:
Bujwid, Odo. "From medicine to veterinary medicine." http://www.medycynawet.edu.pl/archives/875-summary-2019/summary-201902/6188-summary-med-weter-75-2-125-128-2019
Sobolewski, Jaroslaw. "The history of the production and application of veterinary medications and biological preparations in Poland from the nineteenth century to 1945."http://www.medycynawet.edu.pl/archives/879-summary-201905/6231-summary-med-weter-75-02-6231-2019
Recent Publications
On the 6th of November the autumn meeting of the Dutch Society for
Veterinary History (VHG) will be held together with the Numan Foundation.
The Numan Foundation sponsors the veterinary collection in the University
Museum and celebrates its 60th anniversary. The VHG celebrates its 30th
anniversary.
This special meeting takes place in the old anatomy building which has been
build in 1921 by Joseph Crouwel in the Amsterdam Style.
Topic of the lectures of this meeting will be about museal collections.
Lecturers and the subject of their lectures will be published later.
Autumn Meeting of the Dutch VHG
The AVMHS has just circulated a copy of the June 2019 issue of Interim News & Comment.
Highlights include: news of plans for the 42nd Annual Meeting coming up in Washington, DC in early August, the announcement of winners of the 2019 Smithcors Student Veterinary History Essay Contest, a description of Dr. Diana Davis’ new course at UC Davis, details of Dr. Leslie Huck’s new book on Veterinary Medical Services, and a great exhibit at Washington State University.
See more here.
AVMHS June Edition of Interim News and Comments
On the 10th May WAVHM Vice President, Prof. Joaquin Sanchez de Lollano Prieto will be speaking on the usefulness of historical knowledge in veterinary science and the need for its knowledge by the student and the professional.
Further details regarding the congress can be found at:
"I National Congress of the Veterinary Profession. Murrcia May 10 and 11, 2019.
The Summer Meeting of the Veterinary History Society will be held at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies () on 25th & 26th July 2019.
The full programme will be available at the end of April.
To register you interest in attending please email
The Summer Meeting of the Veterinary History Society, UK.
El Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Veterinarios de Toledo (COLVETO) y la Asociación de Historia de la Veterinaria de Castilla-La Mancha (AHV-CLM)
nos comunican que el XXV Congreso Nacional y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Historia de la Veterinaria, tendrán lugar en la bella, monumental
y acogedora Ciudad Imperial de Toledo (España), durante los días 15 al 17 de noviembre de 2019, bajo el lema “Las Ciencias Veterinarias al servicio de la sociedad”.
PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN E INSCRIPCIONES
The Illustrious Official College of Veterinarians of Toledo (COLVETO) and the Association of Veterinary History of Castilla-La Mancha (AHV-CLM) they tell us that the XXV National Congress and the XVI Ibero-American Congress on the History of Veterinary Medicine will take place in the beautiful, monumental and welcoming Imperial City of Toledo (Spain), from November 15 to 17, 2019, under the slogan "Veterinary Sciences at the service of society".
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
XXV Congreso Nacional y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Historia de la Veterinaria.
On the 5th of March 30 members of the Dutch Veterinary History group will visit the hospital of Kampen where Prof. Dr. Kolff during the war successfully tested his kidney dialysis system. As a derivative hereof he later on developed a heart-lung machine and an artificial heart in the USA. The biographer of Kolff, Herman Broers will give a lecture about Kolff’s artificial kidney. The second lecturer is veterinarian Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rakhorst who recently developed a perfusion system at the university of Groningen to optimize and revitalize donation organs, which found worldwide interest.
Dutch Veterinary History Group Excursion
We were sad to report the recent news of the passing of Max Becker, former President of the Swiss Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine (1990-2010).
Members can read more about Max's life and work in this recently published obituary:
Obituary: Max Becker
Animals and the Shaping of Modern Medicine: One Health and its Histories,
Abigail Woods, Michael Bresalier, Angela Cassidy, Rachel Mason Dentinger.
This book breaks new ground by situating animals and their diseases at the very heart of modern medicine. In demonstrating their historical significance as subjects and shapers of medicine, it offers important insights into past animal lives, and reveals that what we think of as ‘human’ medicine was in fact deeply zoological.
Each chapter analyses an important episode in which animals changed and were changed by medicine. Ranging across the animal inhabitants of Britain’s zoos, sick sheep on Scottish farms, unproductive livestock in developing countries, and the tapeworms of California and Beirut, they illuminate the multi-species dimensions of modern medicine and its rich historical connections with biology, zoology, agriculture and veterinary medicine. The modern movement for One Health – whose history is also analyzed – is therefore revealed as just the latest attempt to improve health by working across species and disciplines.
This book will appeal to historians of animals, science and medicine, to those involved in the promotion and practice of One Health today.
The book is available via Open Access and to buy here.
Recent Publication
The call for papers for the 20th Annual Conference of the History Section of the German Veterinary Medical Society has been extended to the 14 April 2019.
The conference will take place on 15 and 16 November 2019 in Berlin where there will be a dedicated session on the history and development of WAHVM to mark the Association's 5oth year.
Further details can be can be found online at
Extended Deadline:
Call for Papers
20th Annual Conference of the History Section of the German Veterinary Medical Society
We're pleased to report that we've recently joined Twitter. Find and follow us at @WAHVM1
WAHVM Joins Twitter!
Michigan State University Libraries invites applications for research fellowships for the summer of 2019. These fellowships are to support the financial needs of visiting scholars who live more than 100 miles from East Lansing and whose research would benefit from access to materials in MSU Libraries’ Special Collections.
Of particular note is the Veterinary Medicine Historical Collection which includes over 1500 books, incunabula, and manuscripts. The holdings focus primarily on early works written or published before 1800 and the collection is especially strong in 18th century British imprints. Many of the early works concern care of the horse but a variety of other topics are represented as well.
Applications are due January 31, 2019. More information and details about how to apply can be found at
MSU Special Collections Summer Research Fellowships, Applications due January 31
We report the sad news that Max Becker, President of the Swiss Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine from 1990 to 2010, died on August 20, 2018. The urn burial took place on September 25, 2018 and was attended by his family and closest friends. An obituary for Max Becker will be published on December 20, 2018 in the journal DVG-Forum.
Photo courtesy of J. Schäffer 2005
Passing of a Member
RCVS Knowledge is pleased to announce the launch of a fantastic new way to access their unique veterinary history collections. From 7th November 2016, the new Archive catalogue is available to view online, with detailed descriptions of hundreds of items from the last 150 years.
Further information here.
Launch of RCVS Veterinary History Archive Catalogue
The Asociación Española de Historia de la Veterinaria's October News Bulletin is now available to read online.
Following the link to download.
AEHV's October Bulletin
We are also pleased to announce that abstract submissions are open for WAHVM 2020.
The themes for this year's congress are “The Vet Histories of International Cooperation” and “Tropical Diseases”. However, papers on other subjects are welcome and will be considered. All contributions should be based on historical methodology and should originate from unpublished work or provide an historical and not a technical review in respect of a component of the congress themes or the other subjects.
For full details head to our WAHVM South Africa 2020 page.
Deadline 30th November 2019.
Call for Papers: The 44th International Congress of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine, South Africa.
On Thursday 25th and Friday 26th July, the British Veterinary History Society travelled to Edinburgh for its summer meeting, held at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus, and hosted by Dr Andrew Gardiner. [Click to see full article]
British VHS Summer Meeting
After excursions to Paris, Hannover-Berlin, Copenhagen and Edinburgh our Dutch VHG is coming 5-6 September focussing on Utrecht, the homestead of the Dutch Veterinary Sciences.
The ins and outs of the extensive collections of veterinary anatomy and pathology in the study landscape will be explained during a guided tour.
The veterinary museum is fortunate to be incorporated in the University Museum in the city centre which has a floor dedicated to this collection. Since the collection is huge most of it is kept in the depot of this museum on the university campus close by the faculty. In both museum and depot tours will be given by specialized guides.
Dutch VHG Utrecht Excursion
The University of Veterinary Science was founded in Brno in 1918 and teaching at the university began in 1919. This notable anniversary is also connected with the foundation of the Czechoslovak state in 1918.
For a full report click here.
Celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, 1918-2018.
The programme for the 20th Annual Conference of the History Section of the German Veterinary Medical Society is now available.
Click here for further details.
20th Annual Conference of the History Section of the German Veterinary Medical Society
On behalf of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine (WAHVM), the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) and the Veterinary History Society (VHS) of South Africa it is a great pleasure to invite you to the 44th International Congress of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine (WAHVM).
WAHVM 2020 will be hosted in the southernmost tip of the African continent in sunny South Africa. Known for its long sunny days throughout the year South Africa is also the home of the Big 5 (African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Lion, Black Rhino, & Leopard).
Further information regarding the Call for Abstracts, Accommodation & Travel arrangements, registration and preliminary programme to follow soon.
44th International WAHVM Congress South Africa. Save the Date 27-29th February 2020
For 2019 The Norwegian Veterinary History Association has chosen to make their yearly excursion to Scotland in the beginning of May. The group of 29 participants will be visiting various sites, including the University of Edinburgh’s The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies on Monday 6th May. Those attending are already looking forward to the trip.
For further information and announcements from The Norwegian Veterinary History Association see:
The Norwegian Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine Annual Excursion
The theme the Dutch Veterinary History Group Spring Meeting is ‘art in veterinary history’. There will be lectures about photography of animal statues, Dutch goats painted by old masters, art in the collection of Utrecht University Museum and the symbolic meaning of animals in 19th century paintings.
See for more information.
Dutch Veterinary History Group Spring Meeting
It is with sad news that we report the passing of Dr. Phyllis Larsen who died on 11 August 2018. It was Phyllis who encouraged the American Veterinary History Society to join the WAHVM several years ago.
Please find below the obituary from the newspaper in her home city:
"Dr. Phyllis Hickney Larsen (DVM KSU '47) (MPVM '81 UC Davis), born March 26, 1923, Worcester, MA, died August 11, 2018, Ithaca, NY. She and her husband, C.M. "Mac" Larsen returned to Ithaca in 1988 after living in northern California for almost forty years. Mac died in 2015 and she is survived by four children, including William Larsen of Ithaca, NY, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Dr. Larsen's unusual career ranged from researching breeding diseases in cattle, consulting on nature and the environment in a bilingual program for children, teaching laboratory animal technicians, analyzing a population of feral goats and their diseases, and teaching English to veterinary students and others in China.
She was active in the Association for Women Veterinarians (AWV) and in 1997 compiled the AWV's 50th anniversary book, Our History of Women in Veterinary Medicine: Gumption, Grace, Grit, and Good Humor. She has also published To Find A Comet, a book of poems she wrote between 1939 and 2014.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Wild Horse Sanctuary, PO Box 30, Shingletown, CA, 96088 (tax deductible #95-3611770) or toward purchase of a goat from Heifer International.
Published in Ithaca Journal on Aug. 14, 2018
Speaking of Phyllis, former WAHVM President Susan Jones said: “We will miss Phyllis so much in the veterinary history community! She was a true "citizen of the world" and proponent of peace as well as veterinarian and historian.”
It is with sad news...
We were sad to recently report the passing of Ivan Katic. To honour his memory, Ivan’s family have asked that we share with you the outcome of the last project he worked on.
The following book concerns the journey made by Georg With, Director of the Copenhagen Vet. School, to Russia in 1845 to study cattle plague. The report also provides an insight into veterinary medicine in Russia and the state of veterinary knowledge concerning contagious livestock diseases.
The book can be downloaded here.
In Memory of Ivan Katic
Find below the details of two recent publications by WAHVM Vice President Prof. Joaquin Sanchez de Lollano Prieto
Joaquín Sánchez de Lollano Prieto, Alicia Sánchez Ortiz. ‘The ceroplastic collection of the Royal Veterinary School in Madrid: A history waiting to be recovered,’ Journal of the History of Collections, October 2018,
and
Alicia SÁNCHEZ ORTIZ, Elena RODRÍGUEZ GONZÁLEZ DE CANALES, Olga CANTOS MARTÍNEZ, Joaquín SÁNCHEZ DE LOLLANO PRIETO, ‘Comparative Study of Aqueous Cleaning Systems for Wax Sculptures,’ International Journal of Conservation Science Volume 9, Issue 4, October-December 2018: 653-666. The issue can be accessed via
Two Recent Publications...
The call for papers for the 20th Annual Conference of the History Section of the German Veterinary Medical Society, which will take place on 15 and 16 November 2019 in Berlin is now live. To mark WAHVM’s 50th year, the conference will have a separate session with 3-4 lectures on the history and development of WAHVM. Details of the call for papers can be found online at
Call for Papers
20th Annual Conference of the History Section of the German Veterinary Medical Society
Including:
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The appointment of Jessica Zeiger to chair the Smithcors Student Veterinary History Essay Contest
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The election of Dr. Russell W. Currier as President of the AVMHS
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And the publication of Veterinary Heritage in November 2018 - the contents of which is listed on their website.
Find out more at:
Latest News from the American Veterinary Medical History Society
We sadly note the passing of Ivan Katic from Viby, Denmark, on 30th August. Ivan was librarian of the Copenhagen agricultural and veterinary university. He had a great interest in veterinary history, was founder and editor of Historia Medicinae Veterinariae, and together with Guus Mathijsen he worked hard on the WAHVM biography project. In 1993 he received the WAHVM Cheiron medal.