The Father of Veterinary Sciences

When Claude Bourgelat founded the Royal Veterinary School in Lyon, France, in 1761, modern, organised, veterinary education began. On the other hand, veterinary medicine existed long before Claude received King Louis XV’s order to establish veterinary medicine practises. Archaeologically, evidence of primitive practices and knowledge dating back to 9000 BCE have been unearthed. Veterinary medicine was an unpopular subject to study in ancient times. The few practising found it challenging. Records from that period are often sparse, unacknowledged, and cobbled together from diverse sources and translations, like ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic, and other languages. Despite this, most studies have estimated a rudimentary timeline.

Ancient Veterinary Medicine

Greek Veterinarian Practices

The Greeks, like other civilisations, developed some veterinary science soon after the domestication of animals. Still, Hippocrates offers one of the most thorough explanations of the subject, emphasising a thoroughly proven method of treating and diagnosing humans and animals. 

Hippocrates was the first Greek doctor to blame external conditions, rather than god’s retribution, evil and negative spirits, or the dead, for illness, nutrition, and living. However, he was not the first to introduce the notion; the Egyptian polymath Imhotep and subsequent Indian sages, Sushruta and Shalihotra, had claimed similar beliefs earlier. Diet, physical activity, sunshine, therapy, meditation, mood enhancement, aromatherapy, and frequent baths were all advocated by Hippocrates as essential components of human and animal health preservation. Although his primary focus was on the health of humans, he also worked on animal welfare. Metrodorus of Lamia was known by 130 BCE for his animal medical expertise, based on Hippocrates’ work with the horses and other animals.

The Romans probably absorbed Greek medical traditions, particularly Galen, who observed parallels in animal and human physiology. Galen was capable of treating his patients successfully because of his extreme comprehension of anatomy garnered from working with animals. Galen believed that practices harmful to an animal would be equally dangerous to humans. Moreover, what was good for one would almost certainly be good for the other.

Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus’ work with animals is sometimes eclipsed by Galen’s (better known as Vegetius). The Digest of Veterinary Medicine (Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae) became the reference standard text for veterinary professionals. Vegetius is unknown outside his works on horse and cattle ailments and treatments.

He must have read Hippocrates, since he emphasised the preliminary principle that a veterinarian has before treating patients: diseases are caused by natural reasons, not supernatural or divine forces. Many scholars attributed him the title “Father of Veterinary Science” over the years, often over other Greek or Roman scholars, due to the significance of his work and its relevance in the evolution of veterinary science.

Indian Veterinary Practices:

Sushruta (about 7th or 6th century BCE), known as the “Father of Indian Medicine” and “Father of Plastic Surgery”, developed medical therapies for animals and humans. The world’s earliest literature on plastic surgery, Sushruta Samhita (Sushruta’s Compendium), is a masterpiece of Ayurvedic medicine and the cornerstone of Indian veterinary practice.

Animals in ancient India had great medical care. Human-care clinicians were also educated on how to love animals. Animal care allusions are in Indian medical treatises such as the Sushruta Samhita, Charaka Samhita and Harita Samhita. However, practitioners focused only on pet care. The most well-known of these was Shalihotra, the world’s earliest known veterinarian and the Father of Indian veterinary sciences.

Malhotra was a physician who dedicated his entire life to animal welfare (c. 3rd century BCE). The Shalihotra Samhita, his veterinary medicine work, is based on Sushruta’s earlier work on anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, and surgical methods adjusted for animal care. By the time of King Ashoka (r. c. 268 – c. 232 BCE), India had established the world’s first veterinary hospital, with its underlying premise based on Shalihotra’s efforts.

Conclusion

The mediaeval church claimed that animals did not have an immortal soul and hence were undeserving of veterinary medical treatment, lessening interest in veterinary medical practices. Per the church, the loss of one’s beloved cat or dog was as insignificant as the death of a fly or flea. Then, in the 12th and early 13th centuries, Europeans began to pay attention to animal health over human well-being. The new-found attention focused mainly on the health of cattle and horses—the latter for warfare and transportation and the former for food and farming purposes.