THE VETERINARY MEDICINE
HISTORICAL COLLECTION

This exhibit has been produced for the Fifty-First Annual Post-Graduate Conference for Veterinarians and for the College of Veterinary Medicine. It is meant to illustrate the range of materials available for research from the History of Veterinary Medicine Collection in the University Library.

The collection undoubtedly began before Dean Lyman inaugurated the classes leading to a doctor's degree in veterinary science in 1910. Detailed book acquisition records from this period do not exist, but by 1957 the college had acquired more than two hundred volumes published before 1850 and had housed them in Giltner Hall. At this time, Dr. J. Fred Smithcors, Professor of Anatomy in the college and veterinary historian, acquired for the library the distinguished Beaudette collection which had been formed by his mentor and teacher at Rutgers University. The collection consisted of some two hundred and fifty rare books, incunabula, and manuscripts, and the purchase was made possible by the generous contributions to the Development Fund by the alumni of Michigan State University.

Since that time the collection has been increased by the rare book librarians and bibliographers through purchase and by gifts and bequests, until today it numbers almost a thousand items. Since most veterinary books published before the early 19th century were manuals and medicinal recipe books, they were literally read to pieces. Almost all of them are rare in any condition. Nevertheless, the veterinary medicine historical collection in the Michigan State University Library is probably the world's largest.

Henry C. Koch
Associate Director of Libraries