Landmarks in the history of animal health. The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies was founded in 1823 by William Dick (1793-1866) and is the second oldest veterinary school in the UK. Following its merger with the University of Edinburgh, the Dick Vet’s archives and rare books have been transferred to Special Collections over several years. The collection of 944 books that were formerly in the school’s War Memorial Library suggests the breadth and depth of teaching and research. It contains many great highlights in the history of veterinary medicine, with particular but not exclusive strengths in farriery. There is an excellent copy of George Stubbs’ 'The anatomy of the horse' (London, 1766). A number of books are unrecorded elsewhere. The dates range from 1537 to 1993. The collection also includes various sub-collections, particularly the 123 books relating to horses and ponies collected by lecturer James Grant Speed (1906-1980) who was an anatomist at the Veterinary School. 208 volumes transferred in earlier years are catalogued, with shelfmarks in the ranges SD 4783-4931, SCF 771-780, SC FF 95-102. 736 items transferred in 2011 are not yet catalogued. Plans are underway to recatalogue the whole collection as a distinct sequence with shelfmarks starting “Vet.” There are also extensive archives. This article was published on 2024-08-21
