Karl Dammann--remembrance of an important veterinarian

Carl Dammann' 150th anniversary of birth and 75th anniversary of death was in 1989. Therefore Dammann's activities as the last "Direktor" of the School of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover is worth to be documented briefly. Dammann studied Veterinary Medicine and Human Medicine. After that he taught at the School of Agriculture in Proskau and in Eldena (Poland) and later at the School of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover. In the position as the "Direktor" of the School he initiated some important reforms. The present location of the School in Hannover bases on Dammann's activities. In 1899, the Veterinary School of Hannover changed from the "Clever Tor" to the present place at the "Bischofsholer Damm".     

That is the question

Extract

With the subject of veterinary education for New Zealanders so much to the fore at the present time, we publish in this issue three texts pertinent to it—the findings of the Committee on New Zealand Universities as they concern the establishment of a veterinary school, the Report on the Site for a Veterinary School by the Subcommittee of the University Grants Committee, and Professor McFarlane's presidential address to the New Zealand Veterinary Association this year, the theme of which was veterinary education.     

Bovine congenital erythropoietic protoporphyria in a crossbred limousin heifer in Ireland

An unusual case of an 11-month-old, black Limousin-cross heifer, with an 8-month history of episodic seizures and photosensitisation, was referred by a veterinary practitioner to the Farm Animal Section of the UCD Veterinary Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland, in August 2014. Following an investigation, a diagnosis of Bovine Congenital Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (BCEPP) was made. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first report of such a case in Ireland. BCEPP should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young animals displaying periodic seizures and/or photosensitisation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13620-015-0044-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Public health education at the University of California, Davis: past, present, and future programs

This article reviews the history of public-health education at the University of California, Davis, from the inception of the Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine Program in the School of Veterinary Medicine through the creation of the Master of Public Health Program offered jointly by the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The long history of collaborative teaching and research between the schools, as well as the university's close proximity to and relationship with numerous university-affiliated and state public-health agencies, has created remarkable opportunities for novel and creative public-health education. The university is already anticipating the approval of a School of Public Health on its campus, which will create even more educational opportunities in both human and veterinary public-health disciplines. Given the projected shortfall of veterinarians entering such fields, the opportunity of a novel Doctor of Public Health degree program specifically suited to the needs of veterinary medicine is also discussed as a means of addressing this shortage.     

Collegiality,a great blessing,but also a subject of constant concern

The incorporation of the Veterinary College into the University of Utrecht, in 1925, had large implications for the social life of the students. Their student's union, named "Absyrtus", with its own club building and longtime traditions was dissolved. The students were supposed to become members of the several unions that existed in the university. But only about a quarter of them managed to do so, and these were divided over four or five different unions. After some years voices were heard within the Netherlands Veterinary Association that collegiality, highly valued in professional life, could be hampered if no social sense was cultivated during student's days. At the same time the number of students showed a jumpy increase, so that unemployment was to be feared. The plan for a new society of veterinary students, brought forward by a commission of three professors, set up by the Veterinary Association, was accepted, and in 1932 the new society was established.     

The veterinary clinic of Emile Seeldrayers

La "clinique vétérinaire" was created by the Belgian painter Emile Seeldrayers in 1884. The work was purchased by the local administration of Anderlecht in 1893 and given to the Veterinary School of Cureghem in 1961, at the occasion of its 125th anniversary. The painting is nowadays at the campus of Sart Tilman, in the premises of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège. According to the tradition it seems to be a key painting: the figures representing professor Lambert Hendrickx and different important persons of Anderlecht. Authorized evidence as well as certain facts refute this hypothesis; even if the realism of the painting is evident, the scene might be imaginary. In 2000 the deputy of Fine Arts of Anderlecht acquired a study of Seeldrayers that proves that the painter was frequently on the premises of the veterinary school, the he was inspired by the places, but that he modified them in order to make his composition more attractive.     

Our educational institution has 50 years in the service of veterinary medicine

The paper gives an overview of the history of the school of vet. med. technicians at the School of Veterinary medicine Hannover.     

New fundamental order of the School of Veterinary Medicine Hanover

On June 29, 2000, the Council of the School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo) passed a new fundamental order. Upon termination of the current terms of office of the rector and the chancellor in September and at the end of the year 2001, respectively, a school management will be established with a longer term of office and a new type of School Council. However, the new fundamental order must still be approved by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture. This change has been made necessary by radical restructuring affecting all universities in Lower Saxony: the transformation to a state enterprise with the concomitant introduction of a global budget demands full-time management. This is a step of historical significance, for this change in the fundamental order puts an end to a tradition of 87 years at the School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover under a constitutional rectorate. The following essay describes the most important changes and explains their necessity.     

The New Veterinary College, Edinburgh, 1873 to 1904

This year's BVA Congress takes place in Edinburgh, home of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. However, the Scottish capital has been host to more than one veterinary school over the years, as Colin Warwick and Alastair MacDonald explain.     

The ECVP/ESVP summer school in veterinary pathology: high-standard, structured training for young veterinary pathologists

This article describes the ECVP/ESVP Summer School in Veterinary Pathology, a new annual two-week European training facility established by the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP) in collaboration with the European Society of Veterinary Pathology (ESVP). The aim of the Summer Schools is to provide Europe-wide, harmonized, top-standard theoretical and practical post-graduate training for veterinarians specializing in veterinary pathology. In particular, it aims to support trainees in veterinary pathology in their individual preparation for the ECVP certifying examination. Ultimately, it aims to provide young pathologists with the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in international, high-quality research and the tools for applying international standards to their own research and for independent study for the ECVP certifying examination, even if they do not work in comparable academic environments and do not have the same level of local support and training. The ECVP/ESVP Summer Schools take place in European countries, with local organization from a university department of veterinary pathology. Each event comprises modules provided by internationally recognized specialists in their specific fields of expertise on different organ systems, diseases of specific species, specific techniques, and specific topics relevant to pathology, forming a cycle of four events to cover all major topics. Every two years a mock exam is organized as a tool to monitor individual progress in preparing for the ECVP certifying examination.     

Criteria for the appointment for a full professorship in the course of history at the School of Veterinary Medicine of Dresden/Leipzig

First the history of the appointment for a full professorship is described in the various stages of development of the School of Veterinary Medicine Dresden. Then the significance of the habilitation degree introduced in 1903 is discussed in terms of the development of the School of Veterinary Medicine Dresden and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig, respectively. Commentary follows on the current discussion about the discontinuation of further development of the habilitation and possible alternatives to it, the Ph.D. and the assistant professorship.     

Remembrances of Jacques Jenny, DrMedVet 1917–1971

Editor's note : The holding of the 19th Annual Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in Philadelphia in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration of the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania provides an opportunity for reflection. Dr. Jacques Jenny, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the School, was Chairman of the Organizing Committee that gave rise to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons on December 16,1965, and was elected as first President of the College. The solid foundation and high ideals that the Organizing Committee established are in large part responsible for the success of the College. Dr. Jenny died on November 20, 1971. Those of us fortunate to have known him personally realize the immense gap that his premature death left. For those that did not know him, I hope that this article permits some appreciation of the contributions of Dr. Jenny the comparative orthopedic surgeon, as well as of the very special human qualities of Jacques Jenny the man. The first author, Dr. Mark Allam, was Professor of Surgery and Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine during most of Dr. Jenny's career at the University of Pennsylvania, and was the first Chairman of the Board of Regents of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. The second author, Dr. David Nunamaker, is the first holder of the Jacques Jenny Professorship in Veterinary Orthopedics at the University of Pennsylvania.     

DEFINING AIMS FOR A VETERINARY SCHOOL

The Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland has defined the aims of the Veterinary School for the future. The aims are to foster excellence in teaching, research, and other forms of professional activity in veterinary science. These aims are being used as a basis for future planning within the School.     

The Hannover School of Veterinary Medicine in the Third Reich. Part 1: early history, assumption of power and consolidation of the Nazi regime

During the time of the Weimar republic the professors and students at the School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover had a national-conservative political attitude with a clearly anti-republican tendency. Before 1933 the National Socialism did not play a role at the school. After the assumption of power by Hitler the 'Gleichschaltung'--which also took place at the universities--ran mostly smoothly at the veterinary school. 75% of the teaching staff and 50% of the students had joined the NSDAP (nazi party) respectively the NSDStB (nazi student organisation) at the end of the summer semester 1933. The following development of the school until World War II is closely connected with the foundation of the Military Veterinary Academy in Hannover in 1935. During the years 1935-1939 offerings were made in a traditional way and without political considerations playing a major role. With the beginning of World War II the school developed into the centre of veterinary studies in Germany. In order to meet the demand of veterinary officers and civil veterinarians the studies were shortened, trimesters were temporarily introduced und standards of examinations were lowered. At the end of the war around 45% of the school was destroyed. In the beginning the denazification meant a significant turning point but it developed into a mere episode of the history of the school by the reappointment of all the seven professors who had been dismissed in 1945/46.     

Some problems of animal health in Australia and New Zealand

Extract

My first visit to New Zealand was in 1924, when, immediately after graduating at the Veterinary School of the University of Melbourne, I took up a first appointment to a subsidized practice in the County of Ellesmere. I was then one of fewer than a dozen practitioners, and Government veterinarians were not much more numerous. This period of about two years in practice provided a valuable part of the field experience which is so essential to a research worker. It is again a memorable occasion when, on my return 37 years later, I have the honour to address the New Zealand Veterinary Association comprising some 300 members.     

Marie Francois Eloy de Beauvais and veterinary education in France, 1784

Born in Méricourt-l'Abbé (France,) 1744, Marie-Fran?ois de Beauvais entered the veterinary school in Lyon in 1762 where he was granted. In 1766, he is appointed professor at Alfort where he worked in anatomy with Fragonard. On 1771, he is sent to lle de France (today Isle Mauritius) where he studied cattle diseases. In 1784, he founded on the isle the 3rd French Royal Veterinary School. He was director until the occupation of the isle by British troops in 1810. He died in 1815 in Mauritius.     

Herpesviruses: balance in power and powers imbalanced

The first veterinary herpesvirus symposium, organized under the patronage of the European Society for Veterinary Virology (ESVV) and the Swiss Societies for Microbiology (SGM-SSM), was held at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, on 22nd and 23rd of March 2001. The congress was divided into six sessions. The first session was dedicated to introductory lectures towards the main topics of the symposium, namely pathogenesis, immune response, and gene therapy. Session 2 was committed to new insights into herpesvirus-related gene therapy and vaccination. Specific and general aspects of the immune response against herpesviruses were presented in session 3, while session 4 was dedicated to virus replication. Session 5 was dedicated to a variety of poster presentations. Finally, session 6 revealed new insight into the pathogenesis of different herpesviruses. The present article summarizes the contributions and draws a new view of the herpesviruses. The herpesviruses have apparently found a multi-dimensionally balanced position between the powers of "cytopathogenicity" and "tumorigenicity" on one hand and "immunogenicity" and "tolerogenicity" on the other hand. As long as the different powers stay in balance, no or little clinical disease may be expected in association with herpesvirus infections. However, unbalanced actions of those powers may lead to disease.     

Dingeman van der Vliet,veterinary artist, 1792-1866

Dingeman van der Vliet (1792-1866) from Zierikzee in province of Zeeland, was one of the first officially trained veterinarians in the Netherlands. He was sent to Paris on the order of Louis Napoleon, king of Holland, at the expense of the Dutch government. In the period of his stay at the Veterinary School in Alfort (1808-1811) he wrote a great number of letters to his parents and friends. His letters give insight in the daily life of the school in Alfort and the festivities in Paris during the reign of the emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. In a second article, the laborious built-up of a veterinary practice in those days will be described.     

A model euthanasia workshop: one class's experience at Tufts University

Performing euthanasia is likely one of the most challenging tasks a veterinarian faces. Four students at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine felt that they and their classmates needed additional training on this subject. They informally surveyed their classmates to determine what topics and formats the students desired. The findings were used to develop the Euthanasia Workshop at the university, a voluntary series of lectures and discussions on technical and emotional issues relating to euthanasia. The four students then informally surveyed 30 North American veterinary colleges to determine the scope of euthanasia training in other veterinary programs. They found that euthanasia, while often covered within other courses, is rarely taught as a stand-alone course.