Dr. J.T. Schwab of Madison - 1951

Dr. J.T. Schwab of Madison - WVMA President 1951

Photo:  Taken in 1937 – Dr. D. Campbell’s archives

         Comments by Dr. Frank Gentile, Milwaukee:   In 1951, Dr. J. T. Schwab 

was the WVMA President from Madison and Dr. Roland Anderson of Elkhorn 

was the president-elect. Dr. Anderson asked me to give a small animal report 

at the Annual State Veterinary Meeting in January 1952. I was one of a handful 

of small animal practitioners in the state at that time. I had only been in practice 

five years, but we were trying to give our input to the state association. Many 

veterinarians were doing some small animal work, but there were less than a 

dozen in the state who had small animal-only practices. We were trying to 

develop a professional image. To my knowledge, this was the first of such 

reports. We continued with the Small Animal Committee and eventually 

succeeded in getting most of our aims. Below is Dr. Gentile's report as given 

on January 8, 1952.

        The year 1951 had been an active and productive one for small animal 

practitioners. The method in which antibiotics are being accepted and used, 

only after proof of the efficacy is definitely a good sign. This year has seen 

the extended use of such antibiotics as aureomycin, chloromycetin and 

terramycin in the early stages of treatment of virus conditions.

        Gereology has become a prominent specialty in small animal work. 

Radiology has been more and more important to the small animal practice. 

We hear of more and more practitioners having x-ray equipment.

        In the local group here in the Milwaukee area, there has been discussion 

of time and value to clients, sparked by such speakers as Mr. Gundlach, who

is one of the speakers at this convention.

        There has also been discussion on the rabies problem brought on by 

such flare-ups as we had in the Watertown area this past year. This group 

recommended that the State Health Department contact local groups of 

veterinarians before imposing quarantine.

       I have been requested to bring up a few recommendations to this group.  

      First - that this Association do something constructive about setting up 

health certificate forms for interstate travel of dogs. The present cattle blanks 

being used are very inadequate, entail a lot of  unnecessary work, and can 

never be, by any means, official appearing. 

     Second - That this Association look into the feasibility of establishing some 

type of laboratory in the state where practitioners may send samples of various 

tissues, parts of carcasses, or whole carcasses for diagnostic work. At the 

present time, the few practitioners who need such services have to rely on 

laboratory reports from several of the biological houses that have been gracious 

enough to help.  We believe that, if such services were available, a large number 

of veterinarians would make use of the services and it would be to the 

betterment of our service to the community.