This PowerPoint covers the history of 150 years of the AVMA. The largest veterinary organization in the world.

1. The Early Veterinary Profession In North America
As in Britain, few considered veterinary medicine a fit pursuit
for educated persons, and by 1850 only a dozen or so graduate
veterinarians practiced in America.
Before the Civil war, the veterinary profession was small in
number, unorganized, diverse and poorly trained. They made up
of a group of men who were farriers, blacksmiths, foreign trained
veterinarians and physicians (both schooled and unschooled), with
little regulation and largely urban.

2. Yet by 1850, There Were No
Veterinary Schools In The United States
By 1850, fewer than two dozen veterinarians had immigrated
from Europe to America, there still were no veterinary schools in
the United States. During the last quarter of the nineteenth
century, however, the number of veterinarians in the U.S.
increased. Some were European immigrants, others came from
schools in Canada (and for the first time there were graduates
from schools on this continent).

3. The Early History of U.S.
Organized Veterinary Medical Associations
During the 1850’s things began to happen in American
veterinary circles. Only a handful of veterinarians was listed in the
census of 1850, yet hundreds of “practitioners” decided they were
veterinarians and belonged in the field of veterinary medicine by
the census of 1860. It was very unlikely that hundreds of
veterinarians “graduated” in some way or another during this 10-
year period.
The first legally organized veterinary schools were formed,
and veterinarians first began to think seriously of organizing.

4. The Founding of The
United States Veterinary Medical Association
“Organized veterinary medicine had its shaky beginning in
Philadelphia in 1854, when Robert Jennings, a non-graduate
practitioner, helped found the American Veterinary Association.
This group was superseded in 1863, when Jennings and others
founded the United States Veterinary Medical Association
(USVMA) in New York City.”
In 1863, there were only about 400 veterinarians in seven
eastern states.

5. The United States Veterinary Medical
Association was formed at the
organizational meeting on June 9-10, 1863
at the Astor House in New York City

6. The Seal of The USAMA and The Original Minute Book
Containing The Records of All Meetings Held From
June 9, 1863, to October 20, 1894
The minutes of the first meeting are in
the handwriting of Dr. Alexandre Liautard,
secretary. Four pages were removed from
the front of the book and the following
notation appears inscribed along the narrow
margins left when the four pages were
removed: “Margin of leaves on which Dr.
Jennings inserted minutes of meetings held
in Philadelphia previous to the formation of
this Assoc. and while acting as secretary.”

7. Here is The Flyleaf of The Minute Book
With The Original Copy of
The Constitution and By-laws of The USVMA
This historic document was signed by
the following: Josiah H. Stickney, Boston,
MA; George W. Bowler, Cincinnati, OH;
Arthur S. Copeman, Utica, NY; Isaiah
Michener, Bucks County PA; R. H. Curtis,
Brooklyn, NY; John Busteed, New York,
NY; William A. Wisdom, Wilmington, DE.
(For some reason the signature of R. H.
Curtis had been crossed out).

8. At this organizational meeting in June of 1863, a
group of 40 delegates representing seven states: New
York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
Maine, Ohio and Delaware.

9. The USVMA was founded for the purpose of promoting quality
veterinary services, humane treatment and self-improvement
through education. At the first meeting, which was held on
September 6, 1864 in New York City, NY, the organization
adopted its seal, featured Chiron the centaur (the teacher of
Aesculapius) – symbolic of the antiquity of veterinary medicine;
established its motto, “Non Nobis Solum” [Not For Us Alone].”
In its first 10 years, the USVMA got off to a rough start, as it grew
very slowly, gaining only one new member in its first decade.

10. What is Believed To Be The Oldest
Existing Document Relating To The AVMA is a
“List Of Officers And Members Of
The United States Veterinary Medical Association.”
The exact date of this publication
is unknown, as the list bears no date.
However, the officers whose names
are shown on the left-hand page
served for the year 1887-1888, so it is
reasonable to presume that the list
was published sometime during 1888.
There are 171 names on the list of
regular members.

11. Dr. Josiah H. Stickney, of Boston
Became The First President of The USVMA
1863 -1864
The United States Veterinary Medical Association was
formed with 38 charter members from seven eastern states.
The first president was Dr. Josiah H. Stickney, at the age of
37, a graduate of Harvard Medical School in Boston with a
MD degree in 1858 and qualified at the Royal Veterinary
College in London with a MRCVS degree in 1859.
Dr. Stickney was born in 1826 and died in 1901, at the
age of 75 yrs.

12. Dr. Alexandre Liautard
USVMA President (1875-1877, 1886-1887)
Born in Paris, in 1835, obtained
his veterinary degree from Toulouse
Veterinary College in 1856. He
received his MD from Univ. Medical
College, New York City in 1865.
Served as the Dean of the New
York University Veterinary college
for twenty-five years (1864-1889).
Considered by many veterinary
historians as the “A Father of the
American veterinary profession.”

13. Dr. Rush Shippen Huidekoper
USVMA President (1887-1889,1890-92)
1877: M.D. University of Pennsylvania
1881: Studied veterinary medicine at
Alfort
Technical Training in Laboratories of
Virchow, Koch, Chauveau, and Pasteur
1883: University of Pennsylvania
Professor of Internal Pathology
1883-89 Dean of Veterinary Faculty
Descendent of Benjamin Rush

14. Dr. Daniel Elmer Salmon
USVMA President (1897 – 1898)
Dr. Daniel Salmon, first Chief of the
Bureau of Animal Industry in 1884, and
the last USVMA president, 1897-1898.
The first D.V.M. degree from Cornell
University was awarded in 1876 to Dr.
Salmon, which was the loose equivalent
of a Ph.D. in today’s standards. This
D.V.M. degree, incidentally, the first
such degree ever to have been
conferred in North America and possibly
in the entire world.

15. The USVMA Changes Its Name To The
American Veterinary Medical Association
After thirty-five years, the renaming of the USVMA as the
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) took place
in Omaha, Nebraska, in September 6, 7 & 8,1898.
The [reason the] USVMA changed its name when, in
extending its sovereignty beyond adjacent international
boundaries, thus its name was changed to the American
Veterinary Medical Association.

16. Dr. A. W. Clement Became
The First AVMA President in 1898
Dr. Albert W. Clement became the
first president of the newly named
organization, the American Veterinary
Medical Association, at the age of 41.
Graduated from McGill University in 1882.
He was born in 1857 and died in 1899,
the year after his presidentacy.

17. Dr. Roscoe Bell
AVMA President (1903 – 1904)
Dr. Roscoe Bell earned his D.V.S.
degree from the American Veterinary
College in 1887, was on the faculty of the
American Veterinary College and the New
York-American Veterinary College. He
served as president of the AVMA in
1903–1904. Dr. Bell was the co-editor
with Dr. Liautard of the highly acclaimed
medical journal, American Veterinary
Review.

18. Dr. James Law
AVMA President (1906 – 1907)
Dr. James Law, a distinguished
veterinarian and teacher, received his
training at Edinburgh Veterinary College
in Scotland, was hired in 1865 to
establish a veterinary school at Cornell
University in Ithaca, New York.
Dr. Law began teaching students in
1868, thus the first veterinary students
at a university in the United States.

19. Dr. John G. Rutherford
AVMA President (1908 -1909)
Dr. John Gunion Rutherford was born
in Scotland, graduated from the Ontario
Veterinary College, was Veterinary
Director General of Canada from 1902-12,
and Livestock Commissioner of Canada
from 1906-12. He also served in the
Manitoba Legislature and the Canadian
House of Commons. Early in the century,
Rutherford was instrumental in
establishing the policies and procedures
that would lead to the eventual eradication
of glanders.

20. Dr. Alonzo D. Melvin
AVMA President (1909 -1910)
Dr. Alonzo Melvin graduated
from the Chicago Veterinary College
in 1886, was the second Chief of the
Bureau of Animal Industry from 1905
to 1917, and AVMA president 1909–
1910.

21. Dr. DDr. Elinor McGrath, was the
first woman to graduate from
the Chicago Veterinary College
in 1910. Dr. McGrath was the
first woman to be admitted to
membership at the 53rd annual
meeting of the AVMA in 1916
in Detroit. She practiced small
animal medicine in Chicago for
more than 35 years in a
neighborhood largely filled with
immigrants from all over
Europe.
dDr. Elinor McGrath
(1878-1963)

22. Dr. Bobbye Alexander
Chancellor was the first
woman elected Vice-President
of the AVMA in 1978, for two
terms making her also the first
to sit on the AVMA Executive
Board.
Dr. Chancellor transformed
the Vice-President's role into
the Board's Liaison to
veterinary students. No other
woman was elected to the
Executive Board until 1990.
Dr. Bobbye Chancellor
(1978-1980)

23. Dr. Mary Beth Leininger, was
the first woman AVMA president,
in 1996. Dr. Leininger was a
small animal practitioner in
Plymouth, Michigan. Her main
issue was greater communication
from members to the leadership,
and her campaign was the first to
use electronic media, a Q&A on
NOAH. Earlier Dr. Leininger had
served for nine years on the
AVMA Council of Public
Relations.
Dr. Mary Beth Leininger
(1996-1997)

24. Private Veterinary Colleges
(1875 – 1927)
With the pressing need for veterinarians created by an ever
increasing demand for horse power, private American veterinary
colleges grew rapidly.
During this time, many private veterinary colleges were
offering two year programs (four months per year), which
culminated in granting the degree of Veterinary Surgeon (VS).
A large percentage of draft and pleasure horses made up the
largest part of the veterinary practices in the U.S. at that time.

25. The Chicago Veterinary College
1883 - 1920
A general education was required and was proven by an
admission examination. Their curriculum initially consisted of a
four month session each year, over a two year period; they were
referred to as ”two-year” men. Of all of the 26 private American
veterinary colleges, this college graduated the largest number of
veterinarians (2610) over the period of 37 years.

26. Kansas City (MO) Veterinary College was founded in 1891 as
a two year college, in 1896 it became a three-year veterinary
college. It was considered by many as the best private veterinary
college of that day. It became the second largest with a total of
1789 graduates.
The KCVC main building built in 1903
Kansas City Veterinary College
(1891-1918)

27. McKillip Veterinary College
(Chicago) was known as the
largest practice in the world, as
part of the class instruction,
students would work with their
professors in a clinical practice
outside the college. Classes
started with a course of three
collegiate years of six months
each. This college produced
1223 graduates from 1897 until it
closed in 1920.
McKillip Veterinary College
(1892 -1920)

28. St. Louis Veterinary Dental College
In 1905, the St. Louis Veterinary Dental College was housed
in this building at 2301 Locust Street, for only six months. This
building dates back to 1891, was originally the Beethoven
Conservatory of Music.

29. In 1868, Cornell University became unique in being a
publicly-funded, but administrated at a private land-grant
university. It was the first university to hire a professor of
veterinary medicine and began teaching veterinary students
that year. However, there were only four veterinary graduates
between 1876 and 1894.
The degree was B.V.Sc. for veterinarian and D.V.M. for the
loose equivalent of a Ph.D. for further graduate study.
The first state university veterinary colleges

30. The New York State Veterinary
College at Cornell University was
established in 1894. The nation’s
first veterinary degree (DVM)
was granted at Cornell in 1876 to
Daniel Salmon, best known as the
discoverer of Salmonella. The
College also granted the first
veterinary degree to an American
woman, Florence Kimball (1910).
James Law Hall
Cornell University
(1894 – present)

31. In 1879, Iowa State College
became the first school of
veterinary medicine to establish
a distinct veterinary college with
land-grant money. Length of
course: 1879-1886, two years;
1887-1902, three years; 1903 to
the present, four years.
The first year (1880) there
were only 5 graduates.
Old Veterinary Hospital, 1885-1912
Iowa State Veterinary College
(1879 - present)

32. Dr. Benjamin Rush, head of the
Medical School, recommended the
establishment of a veterinary
school in 1807.
In 1884, the Department of
Veterinary Medicine was
established at the University of
Pennsylvania with a three year
course. The School of Veterinary
Medicine was developed in 1910, Old Vet Quadrangle
then in 1916 the school offered a
four year curriculum at Penn in 1884.
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
(1884 – present)

33. Michigan State College was
founded in 1855 by the State of
Michigan with its own state grants.
Michigan State model provided a for the
precedent for the federal Morrill
Act of 1862. Michigan State College College
School of Veterinary Medicine was was
established in 1910. Length of
course: four years. The first year
(1913) with one graduate and then
the second year they had two graduates. Giltner Hall
Michigan State College
School of Veterinary Medicine
(1910 – present)

34. USVMA Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting
September 18, 1888
Rossmore Hotel, New York City, New York
Dr. Rush S. Huidekoper elected
president
Papers presented:
Origin of the Domestication of the
Horse
Bovine Tuberculosis
Mad Itch in Cattle
Committee to draft resolution
Contagiousness of TB to man
Present to Medical Congress
Washington, D.C.

35. The AVMA 50th Anniversary Celebration
Hotel Astor, New York City, September 1-5, 1913

36. The AVMA Diamond Jubilee Meeting
July 5 -9, 1938 in New York City, New York
The AVMA held their 75th
annual convention in New York
City, NY. This meeting would
commemorate the 75th
anniversary of the founding of
the Association. It would return
to the city in which it was
organized, to celebrate its
Diamond Jubilee.

37. AVMA Centennial Convention
Americana Hotel, New York City
1863 -1963
July 27-August 1, 1963
Record-Breaking Attendance
5,038 veterinarians and visitors
2,243 veterinarians
877 women
483 children
823 exhibitor
representatives
168 veterinary students
444 guests

38. AVMA 150TH Anniversary Convention
July 20-23, 2013
Chicago, Illinois

39. United States Veterinary Medical Association
In 1863, the official symbol of the USVMA was the god Chiron as
represented by the figure of half man and half horse. It appeared on
the cover of the official Journal of the AVMA after the AVMA
purchased the American Veterinary Review in 1915.

40. The New AVMA Emblem Adopted in 1922
In 1919, both the San Joaquin Veterinary Medical Association
in Fresno, CA and the California State Veterinary Medical
Association adopted the Caduceus emblem.
Then, at the 59th AVMA Convention in St. Louis, MO in 1922,
the House of Delegates adopted the Caduceus emblem with the
“V” superimposed.

41. Caduceus Aesculapius
Starting in 1933, this small group of AVMA members proposed
for many years in changing this emblem. Even in 1934, when
numerous journals wrote of the concerns that the Caduceus
became confused with the symbol of Aesculapius, as having a
medical connection.

42. American Veterinary Medical Association
Then this small group of AVMA members, lead by Dr. Joseph M.
Arburua, started in 1933 and joined later by Dr. J. Fred Smithcors,
both from California, tried to change the official logo of the AVMA.
After four attempts, they convinced the House of Delegates at the
107th AVMA Convention in Las Vegas, NV in July of 1970, to adopt
the Aesculapian image. It was a 37 year struggle, to prove a point.

43. American Veterinary Medical Association
The official emblem of the AVMA as we know it today, was
adopted at the 107th AVMA Convention in Las Vegas, NV in July,
1970. The following story is of a small group of AVMA members
that were determined to correct a historical error.