The historical collections of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Munich : lost and hidden treasures

Abstract

Research into the lost and hidden treasures of the historical collections provides insights into the 230-year history of teaching at the veterinary faculty in Munich. Today, the collections no longer occupy the position in teaching and research they had enjoyed in earlier centuries, as new media and learning techniques have replaced the two- and three-dimensional objects. In the last decade, however, the value and scientific importance of university collections has been recognized, but financial support to maintain and display them is rarely provided. As shown with the historical examples, the establishment and maintenance of the collections included not only an academic but also a social component. Indeed, the collegial exchange by lending specimens or giving away surplus objects within the faculty as well as with external practitioners, international researchers and institutions clearly enriched existing collections, which is illustrated best by the specimens donated by Dr. Theiler. With a view to preserving these collections as a basis of scientific research for future generations of veterinarians, the inventory and digitalization of historical veterinary collections as well as the organization of national and international networks represents key challenges for the coming years. (Read the full article in the WAHVM 2020 proceedings https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/74425)