History of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania facts for kids

The history of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania officially started in the early 1800s. This was when the job of caring for animals became a recognized profession. Before that, many people tried to help sick animals, but they often didn't have much training.

Early Animal Doctors in Pennsylvania

In the early 1800s, trained veterinarians began arriving in American cities. Many of these vets came from London. Since there were no veterinary schools in America yet, young men learned by working with these experienced English veterinarians. Some medical doctors also used their skills to treat animals. Others treated both people and animals.

Most animal doctors in rural areas learned on their own or had no formal training. When printing became more common, books about horse medicine helped spread knowledge. In 1735, Benjamin Franklin even advertised a book called "Gentleman's Pocket Ferrier." It taught people how to care for their horses during travel and what to do for common problems.

People really wanted more scientific knowledge about animal health. The Philadelphia Agricultural Society published many articles on animal diseases in the early 1800s. Richard Peters was a key person who pushed for more veterinary knowledge at these meetings. He was the Society's president in 1805. Peters often said that veterinary schools were needed because he knew many animal doctors weren't properly trained. He believed schools were the only way to solve animal disease problems.

In 1806, the Philadelphia Society offered a gold medal for the best plan to improve veterinary knowledge. In response, Dr. Benjamin Rush started teaching his medical students at the University of Pennsylvania about animal diseases.

Peters and Rush were very important for veterinary medicine. Their friend, Dr. James Mease, also studied disease outbreaks early on. In 1793, he realized that rabies was caused by the bite of a mad dog. Mease explained to the Philadelphia Agricultural Society in 1813 that veterinary art uses science to keep animals healthy and cure their diseases. He said it was like how human medicine works.

One famous Pennsylvania veterinarian was Dr. Isaiah Michener. We don't know how he learned veterinary medicine, but he started his practice in 1836. He wrote articles for newspapers under names like The Veterinarian. He once wrote, "Companies have been formed... to build a theatre, construct a railroad or dig a canal... but the paramount interest of every agriculturist, the preservation of his livestock from the ravages of disease, is almost totally neglected." He wondered when farmers would focus on their own business.

Developing the Veterinary Profession

By the mid-1800s, Philadelphia and other large cities in Pennsylvania had veterinarians who were scientists. They used the best knowledge available to treat animals. However, most animal doctors in the state's valleys were still untrained. It took many decades for trained vets to become common. It also took a long time for graduate veterinarians to overcome the bad reputation left by some untrained predecessors.

European armies knew the value of veterinary care as early as the 3rd century. But the United States Army didn't fully realize this until the Civil War. The word "veterinarian" didn't even appear in an Army rule until 1835. Even then, it just said inspectors should make sure "veterinarians perform their duties." It took over 100 years for the Army to clearly define a "blacksmith" and a "Ferrier" (someone who shoes horses). Benjamin Franklin once said, "A little neglect may breed mischief: for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost." This shows how important horse care was.

Horses became even more important in the U.S. Army. Finally, in 1879, a new rule stated: "Hereafter appointments as veterinary surgeons will be confined to the graduates of established and reputable veterinary medicine schools and colleges." This meant only trained vets could work for the Army.

A charter was given by the Pennsylvania Legislature for the Veterinary College of Philadelphia. This was the first charter of its kind in the United States. However, this school never graduated a student. So, it couldn't claim to be the first veterinary school. That honor went to the New York College of Veterinary Surgeons, which started in 1857 at New York University.

The early untrained animal doctors were independent and not organized. But graduate veterinarians had a shared goal. Their leaders from Philadelphia and New York met in 1863 to create the United States Veterinary Medical Association. A few graduates in Philadelphia formed the Keystone Veterinary Medical Association in 1882. This was the first organized veterinary group in Pennsylvania.

Later, on August 22, 1883, 22 veterinarians met to form the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA). They wanted to learn about continuing education and new laws for vets. This wasn't the first time Pennsylvania vets tried to organize. The very first veterinary association in Philadelphia was started by Robert Jennings on May 7, 1854.

One of the PVMA's most successful education programs is the Mid-Atlantic States Veterinary Clinic. This is a one-day event with hands-on demonstrations. It started in York, Pennsylvania, in 1962. It attracts over 400 vets from many states.

The PVMA also worked to create a veterinary college in Pennsylvania. In 1883, there were only about 300 graduate veterinarians in the entire United States. Dr. Hoskins spoke about the importance of strong veterinary groups in 1892. He said that big changes in veterinary science meant vets needed to work together more. He stressed the need for stronger organizations.

The Keystone Veterinary Medical Association was the first in the country to ask for "a single standard of examinations in veterinary medicine." A national board was created, but a standard national exam wasn't offered until 1955. The national board of veterinary medical examiners was formed in 1950. Its main goal was to improve the qualifications needed to practice veterinary medicine through a thorough exam. This exam would be available to licensing boards in different states.