The History of Veterinary Anaesthesia

The history of anaesthesia from medieval times to the 1980s. A timeline of significant dates for human and animal anaesthesia. The progression in the use of agents over time, including chloroform, ether, chloral hydrate, barbiturates and thiopentone. The gradual introduction of endotracheal tubes and anaesthetic circuits occurred in the 1950s. Halothane became available in late 1950s.

Barbara Weaver

Four Decades of Technical Progress in Cattle Artificial Insemination

The first experiments with artificial insemination in cattle occurred before the Second World War in Russia and Denmark. After the War, the first AI centre in the UK was run by the Milk Marketing Board and this expanded to a national chain of AI centres between 1944 and 1951. A major development was the use of intra-uterine AI, along with improvements in collection of semen and its storage. The use of plastic straws of frozen semen made the technique more efficient and effective.

G F Smith

John Chalmers Walton

The life and career of John Chalmers Norton. He edited the ‘Agricultural Gazette’ for over forty years. His most significant work was editing the ‘A Cyclopaedia of Agriculture, Practical and Scientific’ with over fifty contributors.

G E Fussell