Recently there has been another of those coincidences that those of us who work in libraries love. Two quite separate enquiries which end up having something – or in this case someone – in common. The first enquiry was from a researcher who wanted to look at The quarterly journal of veterinary science in India and […]
The library is currently having a makeover which has meant emptying shelves and cupboards. One thing that has come out of its cupboard is a print titled ‘A muscular preparation of a horse with references.’ The inscription reads: “To His most Excellent MAJESTY GEORGE III. King of Great Britain &c &c. This Plate is most […]
In a paper read before members of the Veterinary Medical Association (probably in 1849) Thomas Gowing said “I have …experienced great difficulties in many required operations on the teeth [of the horse] from the want of proper dental instruments.” His solution? To invent a set of instruments which “I flatter myself, will be found useful… […]
Wishing all our followers a fun filled festive season.
I was recently asked the date and subject of our earliest fellowship thesis. A quick check on the catalogue showed it was written in December 1893 and titled ‘Scabies in the horse: does it demand legislation?‘ The thesis is a neatly written document accompanied by 12 hand drawn illustrations. Regulations in place at the time […]
In the early days of the RCVS it was not unusual for Council, and other members, to go ‘on tour’ to visit ‘continental veterinary schools’. It is perhaps as a result of these trips that we have a small collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century prospectuses from North American veterinary schools in the Historical […]
Most of the photographs in our collections are portraits of RCVS Council, or other prominent, members of the profession. We do have a few photographs of vets going about their daily work but as far as I am aware the only photograph of the exterior of a veterinary practice is this one of Henry Gray’s […]
Readers of this blog with an interest in veterinary history might like to know about the 41st Congress of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine, hosted by the Veterinary History Society at Imperial College, London from 10-13 September 2014. This event, which is being held in Britain for the first time, will welcome speakers from […]
In January 1828 the first two British veterinary journals started, these were The Veterinarian and the much shorter lived Farrier and naturalist. Both owed their origins to a desire to comment, and pass critical judgement, on the state of affairs at the London veterinary college. The Farrier and naturalist is generally believed to be the […]
We are delighted to announce the publication of a new book: Robert Stordy in Abyssinia: an extraordinary veterinary surgeon The main body of book is an account of an extraordinary journey made by Robert Stordy which is held in our archives. Stordy worked for the colonial veterinary service in British East Africa; in 1911 he decided […]
