Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine

Cornell has had an enormous impact on animal health since its founding in 1865 and continues to drive advances in the foundations and practice of medicine. Today, more than ever, our society relies on discoveries made in research universities. However, the relatively small number of institutions pursuing animal health research, as well as the threat to these programs associated with diminished state funding, expanded and costly state and federal regulations, and limited federal and foundation research funding, places these programs at extreme risk. To help remind us of the importance of sustaining our excellence, in this and subsequent issues of 'Scopes I will describe examples of what I term, "Discoveries That Made a Difference," critical advances in animal health that involved Cornell scientists. Ticks as a Disease Vector Smith, Gage, Salmon, Curtice, Kilborne, and Cornell Soon after the Civil War ended (and Cornell was established) the country faced a medical mystery and an agricultural disaster. In the second half of the 19th century tens of thousands of beef cattle were raised in Texas and then driven along cattle trails to Missouri and Kansas, where they were then shipped by rail to the Midwest and Northeast to supply food for a rapidly expanding population. While cows were apparently healthy in Texas, following shipment many individuals with the herds developed anorexia, anemia, bloody urine, and a high fever. Losses from what became known as Texas Fever were devastating, and federal and state guidelines were established for the quarantine of Texas cattle to prevent spread of the disease to local herds. But the cause of the disease, and the mechanism by which it was spread, remained elusive for many years. Theobald Smith was a first generation American from Albany who entered Cornell in 1877 on a full scholarship, taking veterinary science and pre-medical courses. Following his graduation with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1881, Smith spent two years studying medicine at the Albany Medical College (at that time you could obtain an MD degree in two years, but a Cornell DVM required four), but interested in pursuing research, he returned to Cornell where he worked in the laboratory of Simon Gage, one of the original members of the veterinary college faculty. Gage was assistant professor of physiology, but also served as a comparative anatomist, helping to write

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