View source for James Law (veterinary surgeon)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = James Law
| image = James-Law-Cornell-University.png
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1838|02|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland
| death_date = 1921
| known_for = The first veterinary professor at an American university
}}
'''James Law''' (13 February 1838 – 1921) was a Scottish veterinary surgeon who became the first veterinary professor at an American university,<ref name="avma" /> teaching biology, agriculture and veterinary medicine at [[Cornell University]] from 1868.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=Bruce Vivash|date=2013-01-12|title=Establishing veterinary education in North America|journal=Veterinary Record|language=en|volume=172|issue=2|pages=36–38|doi=10.1136/vr.f26|issn=2042-7670|pmid=23314431|s2cid=41574985|doi-access=free}}</ref>
== Early life and education ==
Law was born in Edinburgh on 13 February 1838.<ref name="avma" /> In 1854, at the age of 16, James Law enrolled at the Edinburgh Veterinary College (which later became the [[Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies]]) and graduated with honours in 1857. He was awarded his diploma from the [[Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons]] (RCVS) in 1861, and became a member of the RCVS.<ref name="avma">{{Cite web|url=https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/130201c.aspx|title=JAVMA News: LEGENDS: A great teacher of great men|last=Nolen|date=16 January 2013|website=American Veterinary Medical Association|access-date=4 July 2016}}</ref>
== Career ==
[[Cornell University]] was founded in 1865, and in 1868 its President, [[Andrew Dickson White]], visited Europe to recruit faculty staff. He had been instructed by [[Ezra Cornell]] to find a "horse doctor", and on the recommendation of Edinburgh Veterinary College's Dr. John Gamgee, he met James Law. Dr Law moved to the United States, and started teaching students in October 1868.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Smith|first=Donald|date=Spring 2010|title=150th Anniversary of Veterinary Medical Education and the Veterinary Medical Profession in North America|journal=[[Journal of Veterinary Medical Education]]|volume=37|issue=1|pages=317–27|doi=10.3138/jvme.37.4.317|pmid=21135397|doi-access=free}}</ref>
Law was elected president of the [[American Veterinary Medical Association]] in 1906.<ref name="avma" />
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Law, James}}
[[Category:1838 births]]
[[Category:1921 deaths]]
[[Category:American veterinarians]]
[[Category:Cornell University faculty]]
[[Category:British veterinarians]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]