Fifty years of veterinary education in Queensland

A Faculty of Veterinary Science within the University of Queensland was constituted by University statutes early in 1936 and Dr H R Seddon, Director of Veterinary Research in New South Wales, was appointed to the newly-established Chair of Veterinary Science (Seddon 1951). At the outset, it was decided that the course should be of five years duration and although a sound clinical training would be given, that an emphasis would be placed on animal husbandry and preventive medicine, with the applied aspects of these subjects being included in the final year of the course. As the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the faculty is being commemorated in 1986, this brief history is presented. The minutes of the Board of the Faculty of Veterinary Science from 1936 to 1985 have been the main source of information, but extensive reference has also been made to a History of the Veterinary School prepared by Professor John Francis in 1961. Facilities for veterinary teaching (including hospital accomodation) to a value of f26,000 were constructed at suburban Yeerongpilly, near the Animal Health Station, between 1936 and 1940. The academic staffing of the Veterinary School in 1940 was one professor, 5 full-time and 2 part-time lecturers, plus 5 or 6 honorary lecturers (Seddon 1951). Five of the first class graduated in December 1940. As most students and many staff had joined the armed services and the school buildings were taken over by the United States Army in the latter part of 1942, the University had no option but to temporarily suspend the activities of the School. Eleven graduates had by this time gained the BVSc Degree.