Download Research Station - Celebrating 150 Years

AN HISTORIC SKETCH OF THE ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE RESEARCH
STATION AND OTHER PLACES
Reflections Of Days Gone By - Reminiscences By Some Retirees
Archival photographs of a former Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Research Station,
an old Physiology Teaching Laboratory and other buildings behind the OVC were found in
Spring 2008 during a clean up in a storage area used by the Department of Biomedical Sciences.
Several retirees who started their work careers at the Station were contacted by Tim Bast, a
current staff member in Biomedical Sciences, to help identify the photos and to recall the
operation of that part of the Ontario Veterinary College. The following recollections have been
garnered and additional photographs provided so they can be shared as part of the 150th
anniversary of the founding of the OVC in 1862.
The Research Station
The Founding and Administration
Located at the north west corner of Edinburgh Road South and Stone Road West on land
originally known as Gale Farm, the OVC Research Station was established in 1957 as an arms
length extension of the main OVC campus for holding research animals and the conducting of
applied and basic research in physiology and other veterinary science disciplines. At that time,
the Division of Physiology in the main OVC building was purely a veterinary teaching unit
headed by Dr. Henry Thomas Batt, so to enhance veterinary scientific knowledge, Dr. Harry
Glendinning Downie, because of his expertise in the cardiovascular system, was appointed head
of a new research group at the Research Station.
Around 1950, Downie had previously been
appointed an assistant professor in the Division
of Physiology before going off to graduate
school at the New York State Veterinary
College, Cornell University, then to the
University of Western Ontario. During the
initial period, 1957-58, the new team was
named the Department of Research,
comprising faculty members from all the
disciplines at OVC, including bacteriologists,
parasitologists, pathologists, physiologists,
virologists and specialists in fur bearing animals
and wildlife diseases. However, the appointees
1. Dr. Henry Thomas Batt,
2. Dr. Harry Glendinning
had barely been organized into this new
Professor and Head, Division of
Physiology, OVC, circa 1950
Downie, Assistant Professor,
Division of Physiology, OVC,
circa 1950
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department when the powers that be decided that the researchers should revert back to the OVC
departments from where they originated, but continue to be housed at the Research Station.
Thus, the non-physiologists joined the then named Department of Parasitology, and the
Department of Pathology and Bacteriology, the latter included the section of Fur Bearing
Animals and Wildlife Diseases, while the physiologists joined a newly created department. Dr.
James I. Raeside, who did his BSc degree at Glasgow and his MS and PhD graduate degrees at
Missouri, joined the physiologists in September 1958 from a research associate position at
McGill University. He recalls in January 1958 when he accepted to come
to Guelph his appointment was in the Department of Research, but when
he arrived in September 1958 he was in the newly named OVC
Department of Physiological Sciences, of which Downie became head.
This new department encompassed both the teaching curriculum of the
former Division of Physiology and the physiology and associated
research program of the short lived Department of Research. Having
completed his DVM and MVSc degrees at OVC, a MS degree at Cornell,
and a PhD at the University of Western Ontario, Harry Downie, over a
period of time, was able to attract other recent graduates from Western,
namely, Dr. Art Graham, Dr. Gerry Robinson and Dr. Fred Lotz. Dr.
3. Dr. James I. Raeside, new faculty
Dieter Geissinger arrived in the early 1960's after completing his DVM
photo, circa 1958
and MSc at Guelph and his PhD in London, UK. For much of his early
research, Dr. Downie headed a large collaborative study on atherosclerosis using pigs as the
model. J. Fraser Mustard, MD, PhD (Cantab) from Sunnybrook Hospital and John Evans,
MD, PhD, a faculty member in the Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, were
essential to the study, and regularly commuted from Toronto with their entourage of assistants to
participate in the surgical procedures headed by Dr. Downie. Later in their careers, Mustard (at
the time of writing in August 2008) continues to be involved in early childhood education, and
Evans became President of the University of Toronto. Also important to the
study was Dr. Harry Rowsell, an OVC graduate with a PhD from
Minnesota, who was named Head of the Division of Experimental
Physiology at the Research Station following Downie’s elevation. Rowsell’s
“right hand man” for all these studies was Jim Gilbert who was originally
from Scotland. Later, Rowsell went on and chaired the Canadian Council
for Animal Care. To bolster technical assistance,
Jack Crosbie, who received his early training at the
Dick Veterinary College in Edinburgh, Scotland, and
Mrs. Delia Marucci, a widow working to raise her
daughter Francis, were borrowed from their
teaching duties in Physiology for these surgeries.
Prior to 1964, the Research Station was funded by
the Ontario Government through its Department of
5. Jim Gilbert processing tissues in
Harry Rowsell's laboratory, circa 1959 Agriculture and Food (later to be renamed the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food or OMAF,
4. Dr. Harry C. Rowsell,
then OMAFRA, following the amalgamation with Rural Affairs. At that
circa 1955
time, Station employees, whether scientists, technicians, secretaries or
animal attendants were all Civil Servants. When the University of Guelph was founded in 1964
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by an Act of the Ontario Legislature, administration of the Research Station came under the
jurisdiction of then OVC Principal Trevor Jones whose title became Dean. Restructuring of
the OVC continued over a number of years, and in 1967 the Department of Physiological
Sciences was renamed the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology which streamlined
administration with the elimination of smaller divisions within the former department. The last
name change was made about 1971 under OVC Dean Dennis Howell when the Divisions of
Microscopic and Gross Anatomy in the Department of Anatomy, and Immunogenetics joined
Physiology and Pharmacology to become the Department of Biomedical Sciences.
The Buildings and The People Who Worked In Them
It would be true to say that the Research Station buildings were a mishmash of wooden,
corrugated zinc, breeze block and brick Quonset Huts reminiscent of a WWII army camp. In
fact, some of the buildings were indeed army surplus. The original farm barn and silo were
located at the far end of the Station and were still in use. A tree lined gravel driveway running
west off Edinburgh Road with a left turn south at its end came to an initial front row of five
buildings set back and somewhat camouflaged from Edinburgh Road by fenced-in grazing
paddocks and trees. Designated car parking for the users of these first row of buildings was
along this road. A right turn at the
end of the road past the fourth
building led to another four or five
buildings each with its own short
driveway and car parking area.
Most of the buildings were
identified alphabetically,
presumably in sequence as they
were erected and not necessarily
7. Cars parked on front driveway with trees at the back
sequentially by location to one and lining the entrance lane, circa 1960's
6. Research Station Entrance
Driveway, circa 1967
another. Coming into the Research
Station along the entrance driveway, the first building (Bld) on the right at the left turn was “D”Bld used for biochemistry and pharmacology research. The second building on the right was
“C”-Bld, a utility one housing the manager of the animal handlers, a distilled water unit, and an
incinerator accessed from the back. The third building on the right was “B”-Bld used jointly for
laboratory research by Physiology, and the Division of Bacteriology. The fourth building on the
right was “A”-Bld, used for housing guinea pigs and mice, and occasionally as an isolation unit
for mink. The fifth building, opposite “A”-Bld on the left side of the gravel road was “F”-Bld
used for hematology and research in blood factor deficiencies, and for housing a hemophiliac
dog colony. A right turn past “A”-Bld led to another set of structures accessed from the road
which took an oval course linking up these buildings. The first building was a drive-in shed with
a dirt ramped entrance, and behind it was “H”-Bld used for housing pigs and for conducting
porcine research. The Gale Farm barn and silo were located in the far left corner beyond “H”Bld. The next building following the road north was “E”-Bld used jointly for radionuclide
research and teaching, and micro-anatomical studies. Then there was “G”-Bld used for housing
avian and other small species. At the very back of the Station a separately fenced compound had
been established for studies in Fur Bearing Animals and Wildlife Diseases which included a
mink colony and a deer herd.
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An abandoned orchard adjacent to this area indicated that the land was once a pioneer farm.
Dr. Jim Raeside has the distinction of starting his OVC career at the Research Station in
1958 and continues it at the main college as a professor emeritus 50 years later at the time of
writing. Current surviving retirees, Bob Braham, Eileen Cabeldu, Stuart Crane (d.May
2011), Fritz Floto, Melva McGregor and Carol Wasnidge all started their careers at the
Research Station and ended them in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the main college.
In 1967 when Melva, Bob and Carol joined the Research Station in May, July and October
respectively, the place continued to be a magnet of activity with a lot of commuting of personnel
back and forth from the main college. Since the Station was is the country and not on a city bus
route, a shuttle service three times daily from the OVC Breezeway and back was provided for
personnel with no transportation of their own. Initially, the shuttle vehicles were comfortable
station wagons driven by Joe Veroni for Vet Micro and George Ingles for Physiology. George
was quite the character and often had to drive to Toronto Airport to pick up biological samples.
On one particular trip he was stopped by the Ontario Provincial Police for speeding on Hwy.
401, but managed to talk himself out of receiving a speeding ticket by waving the samples out of
the driver’s window and explaining that they had to be delivered quickly or else they would
spoil. Apparently, the police officer swallowed the story! The station
wagons were later replaced with utility vans, and when George retired
Bev Stickland was hired. Bev is brother to Rita Stickland, who for
many years was secretary to Dr. Downie in the main college.
Eventually, Dave Atkins became the only driver for OVC. Department
faculty, in particular, had to split time between teaching duties at the
main college and research interests at the Station. Thus, research for
some faculty was confined to the summer months when there was an
influx of student help, especially of veterinary students, to aid in the
activities. Some former employees are remembered by the
contribution they made, the legacy they left behind, by incidents that
8. Susan Bloomfield posing at the
occurred or simply by being there.
shuttle van outside B-Bld, circa 1971
“A”-Bld
The outer walls of “A”-Bld were constructed of wood siding, as were “B” and “D” Blds, so it
could be assumed that these were the three original new buildings. “A”-Bld was used for housing
rodent species for research and teaching. Mice were
bred and raised in banks of cages, while guinea pigs,
recognized by the high pitched sound they made, were
kept in large floor level open concept pens. Ross
Wilson was the small animal attendant for this facility.
When the Research Station closed, Ross was
transferred to the new replacement facility in Eramosa
Township, from where he retired. One of Ross’s jobs
was to transport animals from Eramosa to the OVC,
9. A-Bld
and over the years he was often seen making deliveries
to the Large Animal Clinics.
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“B”-Bld
“B”-Bld, constructed with a gabled central entrance hallway with left
and right wings at the back, was shared between Bacteriology, a
Division of the Department of Pathology and Bacteriology (later
to be split into the Department of Pathology and the Department of
Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology), and the Department of
Physiological Sciences. The building housed several research
groups over the years. Initially, Dr. Gordon R. Carter, a
10. B-Bld
bacteriologist, Dr. Milton (Mickey) Savan, who came as a
virologist in 1958 and Dr. Francis (Frank) H. S. Newbould shared the entrance offices and the
left side wing office and laboratory, while Dr. Harry C. Rowsell occupied the office and
laboratory in the other wing. Because Rowsell was the “on-site boss” of the Research Station he
had a secretary, Mrs. Aline Ross, whose office was adjacent to the entrance to the laboratory.
Mrs. Ross’s daughter Michelle currently is a staff member in Biomedical Sciences.
11. Dr. Gordon R. Carter on assignment in Burma, circa
1960
12. Dr. Milton Savan, new faculty
photo, circa 1958
13. Dr. Francis (Frank) H. S.
Newbould, circa 1958
In 1961 Eileen Cabeldu was hired to provide additional secretarial assistance to Harry Rowsell.
Eileen was eventually transferred to Physiology in the main college where she became secretary
to Dr. T. H. Batt and the physiology faculty. The remaining resident bacteriologist in the
building in 1967 was Dr. Newbould who headed the bovine mastitis research project. He had
taken over the left side wing of the building, and his permanent technician on the project was
Richard Johnston, a Registered Technologist (RT). With the eventual closing of the Research
Station, Johnston was transferred to the main college, but was tragically killed some years later in
a car crash at a major intersection on Hwy. 7 between Guelph and Kitchener. Ironically, it
followed that traffic lights were later installed at that intersection. Peter Carey, a graduate of the
Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), was responsible for the daily collection and delivering of
milk samples for the mastitis project. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with leukemia and died a
few months later leaving a wife and two young children. Peter was replaced by another graduate
of OAC. One of Newbould’s graduate students in 1967 was Geraldine (Gerry) Kent from
Jamaica, an OVC graduate doing her Masters Degree in Bacteriology. She had married Gordon
Kent who was a technician in “E’- Bld, and they had a daughter, Lisa. On attaining her graduate
degree, the Kent’s moved to Toronto where Gerry became a research associate in the Pathology
Department, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children. Another of Newbould’s graduate students, who
joined the group from South Dakota, USA in 1968, was Karen Sonstegard. Karen’s husband,
Ron, was a graduate student in the Department of Biological Sciences.
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Newbould also had grant technicians who seemed to come and go on a regular basis, primarily
because wages for them were pitifully low (about $3,500 in 1967, compared to $5,000+ for a
permanent technical staff member, compared to about $15,000+ for an Associate Professor).
Unfortunately, the disparity in salaries still exists, and in 1970 money was the prime reason why
both the Secretarial, Clerical and Technical Branch and the Trades and Maintenance Branch of
the Civil Service Association of Ontario were out on strike for contracts with the University of
Guelph when Dr. William Winegard was President. It is remembered that one of the strikers
did his picketing duties on horse-back at the entrance to the Research Station. Thus, immigrant
technicians from Europe and the UK were destined to take the grant positions as a stepping stone
to better things. Joan Dixon, a graduate of the prestigious Seale-Hayne Agricultural College at
Newton Abbott, Devon, UK stayed until 1968, then moved to Vancouver where she found
employment with the British Columbia Department of Agriculture in the laboratories at
Abbotsford. Joan’s replacement was Maggie Alder, a BSc graduate from London University,
UK. She moved to Banff, Alberta and got married. Next came Sue Bloomfield who later
returned to the UK. From 1966 Yvonne Sorbara was the laboratory assistant responsible for
washing glassware with this research group, later to be replaced by Joan Timms. At that time
Sue Bloomfield became a boarder in the Timms’ residence. There were also microscopy rooms
used by Bacteriology off the front entrance passage of the building. Margaret Berry, who
hailed from Scotland and was an Associate of the Institute of Medical and Laboratory Technique
(AIMLT), a UK qualification similar to the Canadian RT, worked in one of the rooms for Dr.
William R. (Bill) Mitchell. They were part of the team scoring somatic cells in milk from
normal dairy cows. Margaret was eventually transferred to the main college from where she
retired.
With Harry Rowsell’s departure in 1966, Aline Ross was transferred to the OVC Dean’s
Office, but the Department of Physiological Sciences continued its presence in the right side
wing of “B”- Bld.
In 1967 Melva McGregor became the new secretary
responsible for typing manuscripts, and ordering stationary
and laboratory supplies for all the on-site physiologists.
Melva’s presence at work could be assumed when her 1967
yellow Ford Mustang was parked at the front of the building.
Her mother, Pinã Trento, also known as Tina, was a lab
assistant in Physiology at the main college, and in her
younger days, while raising a young family of children, had
to haul wood in a pick-up truck to make ends meet. Dr.
14. Melva McGregor working at her desk,
circa 1975
Ahmet Noyan, on a two year sabbatical leave from the
University of Ankara, Turkey, used the laboratory and the
attached office for studies of lipoprotein lipase expression in rat mesentery. Noyan was of small
stature and dressed dapperly for work in a suit, white shirt and tie, and was extremely fussy about
what he ate. While many a farm kid had been raised on unpasteurized milk from tuberculin tested
cows, Noyan refused to use in his coffee the raw milk brought in daily from normal cows. Instead,
he had his own can of Carnation milk. Also, before eating his lunch apple, he routinely scrubbed
it with scouring powder. In 1967 June Watt, originally from Glasgow, was Noyan’s lab assistant
and Rachel Waugh, the summer student. June was previously a receptionist in a doctor’s office,
so was never really qualified to work in a research laboratory setting. After being put on long
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term disability from an injury sustained from being trod on by a research boar, she took up a
singing career, using the persona of “Diamond Lil” at gigs at the Legion Hall and in a restaurant
on Hwy 7 near Rockwood. Rachel, the daughter of the Minister at Harcourt United Church where
Dr. Downie was a member of the congregation, was an undergraduate BSc student at the
University of Western Ontario. On graduation, she went into medical school and subsequently ran
a successful practice in gynecology. Bob Braham joined the group in July 1967 after having his
early laboratory training at the Institute of Animal Physiology at Babraham Hall, near Cambridge,
UK, and on completing the Higher National Certificate Boards with the Institute of Biology.
Braham spent the next 37 years in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, eventually with the
Pharmacology and Toxicology group. Fred Lotz did some
collaborative work with Noyan, and Dr. Amreek Singh, who
completed his MSc in Micro-Anatomy in 1968 and his PhD in 1971,
gave advice on some of the histology aspects. Singh eventually spent
several years as a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical
Sciences before moving to the Atlantic Veterinary College in
Charlottetown, PEI. On retirement in 2008, Singh received a
15. Bob Braham outside Bld 41
distinguished OVC Alumnus Teaching Award.
Main OVC, circa 2002
“C”-Bld
This facility was of concrete breeze block construction, as were Buildings “E”, “F”, “G”
and “H”. “C”-Bld was a central point for the animal handlers and their supervisor, Bill Turner.
He had an office in the building, and the animal “boys” had their lockers and lunch room. Bill’s
legacy was never to take a sick day during all the years he was employed at OVC. Distilled water
was also made and distributed from the facility by another Bill, known as Billy, but his surname
shall go unmentioned. He was the custodian for “C”-Bld and the research laboratories in the other
buildings, and traditionally ran a pool in October for the World Series of Baseball. Unfortunately
for him, he was caught boot-legging laboratory alcohol from the chemical stores, so was let go.
Matt Hassan, Lyle Maltby and Bob McColl also worked out of the building as animal attendants
and looked after the incinerator. The people in “C”-Bld also knew how to celebrate the coming of
Christmas and always had a party bash on
the noon hour of the last day before the
Christmas break. With the inevitability of
the closing of the Gale Farm Research
Station and the opening of the new
facility in Eramosa Township, Pat
Parkinson was hired as the Research
Station billing clerk in 1974, working first
with Bill Turner out of “C”-Bld, then out
of the Office of the OVC Dean during the
transitional period. Pat moved to the new
Eramosa Station in 1979.
16. The incinerator located behind C-B1d
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“D”-Bld
In 1958 this building was renovated into
biochemical laboratories and used
primarily for steroid work conducted by
Dr. Jim Raeside. The laboratory
technicians at the time were Christa
Scheibel, Mary Hunt and Jack Hoad.
Jack Hoad’s father was head dairyman at
the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC).
Pat McNally, originally from PEI, worked
for Dr. Raeside as a summer student while
completing his BSc at the University of
17. D-Bld
Guelph. He later acquired a full time
position in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology with Dr. Bob Liptrap. After
experiencing two winters with frozen pipes in the building, a situation caused by solvents getting
into the septic tank and killing the normal bacterial flora, Dr. Raeside and his helpers were moved
to the main OVC where they worked out of a renovated classroom. Later, Dr. Fred Lotz, one of
the University of Western Ontario graduates hired by Dr. Downie moved into the building and set
up his office and laboratory for studies in the pharmacological aspects of atherosclerosis.
He is remembered because he liked to chuckle over his own daily
joke, and often spoke somberly of his experiences as an officer in
the Royal Canadian Air Force attached to the Royal Air Force
Bomber Command during WWII. In 1968 Lotz was joined by
Dr. Marvin Meltzer. Meltzer’s stay was about two years, and
he is primarily remembered because of his eccentricity and lack
of couth. He had the habit of twirling a lock of his hair that had
fallen out of place onto his forehead, then he would blow
upwards at his plaiting. Also, he had no hesitation breaking wind
in public, especially in the secretary’s office. His biggest faux
pas, though, after already having received a police warning for
driving through a red traffic light at the Gordon Street-College
Avenue intersection, was to miscalculate the left turn at the end
18. Dr Fred Lotz, circa 1968
of the entrance driveway to the Research Station and crash his car
into “D”-Bld adjacent to Fred Lotz’s office. The impact recoiled Lotz out of his desk chair onto
the floor. Meltzer became history and was last seen being interviewed on PBS-TV in the early
1970's having joined the ranks of America’s unemployed intelligentsia. Fred Lotz continued his
career at the main college and took an early retirement in the mid-1980's. Lotz died in 2007.
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“E”-Bld
Located along the second gravel road, this was a
shared facility for two research groups. Dr. Gerry
Robinson was the resident radiobiologist who
pioneered methodology for using radiolabelling as a
basic research tool for elucidating cell distribution in
blood and element distribution in tissues of animals.
He also established and taught theoretical and practical
courses in radiobiological concepts to veterinary and
graduate students. Gerry was a friendly and jovial
19. E-Bld
character which probably was a reflection of his
rotund stature, and while he reluctantly followed
faculty dress code when teaching, his tie was
rarely neatly knotted nor matched his preferred
plaid shirts. While not too intent on his own dress
code, he nevertheless established one for the
students whereby they had to wear the stipulated
blue rather than white laboratory coat when
handling radionuclides. Because of limited
laboratory space, students would come to the
Research Station in small groups for sessions
lasting up to three hours. With no Co-Op Tuck
20. Dr Gerry Robinson using a scaler for measuring
Shop on site, Dr. Robinson always made sure the
radioactivity, circa 1959
students had a break for refreshments, and as a
special treat Mrs. Robinson would inevitably appear in
timely fashion with a selection of her baked treats.
21. Dr. Gerry Robinson at his desk E-Bld, circa
1975
22. Anna Mae Bier separating proteins using
electrophoresis, circa 1959
Anna Mae Bir (MSc) also worked out of the building as a
Laboratory Scientist recruited from the University of
Western Ontario. She was responsible for all the blood
coagulation work associated with the atherosclerosis study.
Anna Mae was replaced by Winnie Smith, and the position
moved to the main OVC to help Dr. Colin Cameron enhance
the veterinary physiological chemistry laboratory course.
Ann McCarter was Robinson’s laboratory technician until
1967, then Carol Wasnidge, an RT in Radiology who had
spent several years in California and other stateside
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locations as an x-ray technician, arrived in October of ‘67.
Carol had both research and teaching duties, and was
responsible for devising, setting up and demonstrating in
student laboratories. Fritz Floto, originally from Prussia,
became another member of the group in 1968. With a
background in raising Hanoverian horses, Fritz had to learn
the intricacies of dealing with small animal and bird species,
and eventually was responsible for maintaining a quail
colony used in some long-term radiobiological studies. With
23. Carol Wasnidge at her desk E-Bld, circa
hands the size of barn shovels he did his work efficiently and
1975
with great dexterity. Kathy Fagel, who worked with Carol
in California, joined the group as a grant technician, but her stay was
short-lived. Dr. Robinson also accommodated graduate students,
including Dr Reviany Widjajakusuma and Dr. G.P. Nirmalan.
Reviany was a DVM from Indonesia, and after completing her MSc and
PhD degrees at Guelph returned to the Bogor Agricultural University,
Indonesia where she became a faculty member in the Department of
Physiology and Pharmacology. Nirmalan, a DVM from India, was
unique in that he chose to be addressed by one name with no title, so that,
especially in India, he could not be classified by the Indian caste system.
After completing his PhD he returned to the Kerala Agricultural
University where he eventually became Dean of the College of
Veterinary and Animal Sciences. Dr. Nelson Chou, a junior faculty
24. Fritz Floto holding a
member in the Department of Physiological Sciences, joined the group
quail B-Bld, circa 1975
from Taiwan in 1967. He was responsible for introducing quail as a
research model at the Station, and was a laboratory demonstrator in the Veterinary Physiological
Chemistry and the Veterinary Physiology courses. Because his Taiwanese veterinary degree was
not recognized by the American and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, Chou could not
practice in North America, so he was accepted into the third year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
curriculum at OVC. After graduation he went to Ottawa, then to the USA where he worked for
the Purina Company. In the mid 1970's Suzanne Downie, the
eldest of two daughters and a son of Dr. Harry and Mrs.
Mary Downie, assisted in Dr. Robinson’s laboratory as a
summer research student. Suzanne did an honors BA in
Geography, doing the first three years at the University of
Western Ontario with a completing fourth year at the
University of Guelph. She went on to train as a Registered
Nurse at McMaster University, and completed a Master’s
degree in Nursing in Saskatoon. While both Carol Wasnidge
and Fritz Floto retired from the main college, Gerry
Robinson, unfortunately, suffered myocardial infarction and
25. Nelson Chou, Kathy Fagel, Fritz Floto,
died several years before his 65th birthday. Win Morden
Nirmalan, Widjajakusuma,Gladys Bridgeman
E-Bld, circa 1970
was the glassware washer in “E”-Bld, and did similar duties
in the other research buildings. Win was later replaced by
Gladys Bridgeman who also finished her career at the main college.
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The other faculty member using “E”-Bld was Dr. Dieter
Geissinger, an OVC graduate. His early research interests were of a
physiological nature in pigs where histological end points were viewed
using light and electron microscopy. Unfortunately, early in his OVC
career Dr. Geissinger suffered brain damage when it was discovered
during routine appendectomy surgery that he had malignant
hyperthermia, a condition where the body is overly sensitive to
anesthetics thus preventing circulation of oxygen. Since they were
trained medical doctors, it must not be forgotten that Fraser Mustard and
John Evans were instrumental in directing the local doctors at Guelph
General Hospital in the treatment of Dr. Geissinger, which did much for
his survival. After recovery, while having some difficulty with his
speech, Geissinger continued to be valuable in the Veterinary Micro26. Dr. H Dieter Geissinger,
Anatomy courses, and carried on with his research and publication until
circa 1960
after retirement. He died from malignant hyperthermia in Nigeria, where
he was working after retirement, one week after visiting the OVC. Dieter Geissinger and Keith
Betteridge shared an office in H-Bld as graduate students in 1959. They battled incessantly over
the temperature; when one of them left the room, the other would turn the thermostat up or down.
Geissinger’s technician in 1966 was Mary Gruar, an AIMLT who gained her initial
training at the Royal Veterinary College Field Station in North
Mymms, Hertfordshire, UK. Mary’s forté was in histology, so was
responsible for the sectioning and preparation of tissues for light
microscopy. She left the department to marry Jack Linard, an
Australian civil engineer, and after spending some time in Oz, they
raised two sons in St. Bruno, Quebec, where they remain. Anne
Mair was the grant technician who
was another Seale-Haynian from
the UK. Anne married Cliff Faryon
and moved to Salt Spring Island,
British Columbia. A second grant
27. Mary (nee Gruar) and Jack Linard technician was Gord Kent (married
with their boys David and Ben, circa
to Gerry Kent), who was
1970
responsible for assisting in the pig
surgeries. It is believed that the electron microscope was also
28. Anne Faryon (nee Mair) and
housed in “E”- Bld, the resident electron microscopist being Ivan children, circa 1970
Grinyer from the Department of Pathology. In 1966, Paul
Runke took the position and joined the Department of Physiological Sciences. Paul died in 2008.
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“F”-Bld
This facility was comprised of research laboratories
and kennels for housing the hemophiliac dog
colony. Stuart Crane, originally from Northern
England, came to Canada as a 15 year old, and after
spending several years freezing his butt on a farm in
Alberta decided to relocate to Southern Ontario
where he found employment at the OVC. He
married Connie and had two children and five
grandchildren. He passed away May 24, 2011. Stu’s
specialty was collecting blood samples from the
dogs, mainly beagles, and determining their blood
29. F-Bld
factor deficiency type using various blood
coagulation and platelet aggregation techniques. Initially, Dr. Fred Lotz oversaw the running of
the dog colony, later to be replaced by Dr. Ian Johnstone. Johnstone was a practicing
veterinarian who had returned to research and teaching. He perfected several of the blood tests for
determining the various types of hemophilia and later offered a service to dog owners for
diagnosing Von Willebrands Disease, the Factor XIII deficiency, in certain breed of dogs,
especially Kerry Blue Terriers. Unfortunately, Ian died prior to retirement from an autoimmune
lung disease.
The dog handlers were Trieste
Embro and John Foster, the
latter replaced by Ross
McEwan. Dressed in his
coveralls, Trieste always
prominently displayed his gold
neck chain and rings. He is
still around Guelph and for
years made a name for himself
30. Housing for hemophiliac beagles, circa 1959
selling “Candy” apples at
Halloween and Christmas
Trees for the festive season. Ross was a farmer from Orangeville way, but had to give up farming
because of ill health. His first connection with the OVC occurred when Dr. Jim Raeside and Dr.
Bob Liptrap, who were doing some work on a herd of pigs from Alberta, hired him to look after
the pigs for them in a barn they rented near Elora. The farm where the barn was located was
eventually encompassed into the vast expanse of land that became the Ontario Agricultural
College’s Elora Research Station. When the dog colony was disbanded Ross was transferred to
the main college to look after the surgical suite under the direction of Bob Liptrap in Biomedical
Sciences. Ross, unfortunately, suffered from kidney failure and had to endure dialysis several
times a week using a home unit which his wife Marg was taught to operate. He eventually went
on long term sick leave and died shortly afterwards.
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“G”-Bld
This building housed chickens, quail and
rats used in the radionuclide research.
Tim Bast recalls
that the building
was also used as
overflow dog
kennels. The
resident animal
attendants were
George Girling
and John Cole.
31. G-Bld
John’s son,
32. Tim Bast circa 2008
Nelson, who was often seen visiting his Dad in the building, is currently
working for the Large Animal Clinic, out of the Equine Research building. Some rooms in “G”Bld were also used for research by people in “E”-Bld.
“H”-Bld
This was the main animal holding facility for pigs used in the arteriosclerosis study, but some pigs
were housed in
outside enclosures.
During the late
1950's and early
1960's, generally on
a Thursday,
Downie, Rowsell,
Mustard and Evans,
plus an entourage of
technicians and
33. H- Bld adjacent to fenced mink
34. Outside pig pens near farm barn and silo, circa
compound, circa 1960
animal attendants
1960
assembled in an
open area of the building improvised for the pig surgeries. Occasionally, Dr.Bruce Archibald,
Head of the Department of Medicine and Surgery joined the group. John Bosman was the lead
hand of the animal attendants who included Mel Hahn, Jan Kiepers and Dirk, the latter who
was replaced by Jim Middel. Jan’s wife, Theresa, was a laboratory assistant with the
pharmacology group in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. In 1966-68 a rhesus monkey was
housed in the open area, and pig surgeries on a much smaller scale were
conducted by Dr. Bob Liptrap, and artificial insemination procedures on
swine by Dr. Joshi. Anterooms were used as laboratories for doing smaller
animal surgeries, including kidney dialysis on dogs using an artificial
kidney machine as part of the research of Dr. Jim Boyd assisted by Winnie
Smith and Bob Braham. Another user of the surgical space in H-building
from 1959 to 1961 was Keith Betteridge, a recent veterinary graduate from
the University of Bristol, UK, who was studying ovulation in pigs as his
35. Dr. Keith Bettridge,
MVSc project under the supervision of Dr. Raeside. Betteridge returned to circa 1959
the UK for his PhD degree, then joined the faculty at McGill University.
He returned to the OVC in 1986 to head the newly formed biotechnology group (ABEL) in the
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Department of Biomedical Sciences. On retirement he was conferred University Professor
Emeritus and continues his research in the department.
Fur Bearing Animals and Wildlife Diseases
Dr. Joan Budd, a DVM graduate who spent many years as a faculty member
in the Department of Pathology and Bacteriology specializing in fur bearing
animals and fish, has provided the following recollections: About 1957 or
1958 the mink ranch and deer facility were
moved from the main OVC campus to
buildings and fenced areas located at the
West end of the Research Station, adjacent
to the abandoned orchard. Hugh Belcher,
Joan’s brother, was head animal attendant
assisted by John Zomer. They worked out
36. Dr Joan Budd, circa
of an office in a building that also served as 37. Gale farm orchard, circa 1960
1950
a preparation area and for the occasional
housing of small mammals, such as, voles.
Other buildings within the enclosure included a mink shed and a shelter
for white tailed and other species of deer, and a young moose. The deer
and moose had free access to a grazing
paddock. Some mink were raised in
specially designed long banks of cages
38. Hugh Belcher and John
erected on piers, which not only afforded
Zomer handling mink, circa
easy access to each cage, but also
1960
provided protection with an element of
“out-doors” for the animals. Other species maintained in these
cages as required included ferrets, skunks, an otter, ducks and
Hugh Belcher feeding a whitetail
turkeys. Dr. Lars Karsted (Wildlife Diseases) and his graduate 39.
deer circa 1960
students, including Dr. Bob
Ramsden ( specialising in rabies) and Jim Irwin (specializing
in lead poisoning) used these animals, as did Dr. Bruce
McCraw (Department of Parasitology), Ruth Saison (blood
typing, Division of Physiology), Dr. Roy Anderson
(Parasitology, Biological Sciences, OAC) and others in various
research projects. John Zomer left OVC to take a position in
charge of a laboratory animal colony in Peterborough, Ontario
to be replaced by another animal attendant, and finally by Art
40. Hugh Belcher holding mink at outside
mink pens, circa 1960
Smith.
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The Barn and Silo
The old Gale Farm cattle barn was put to use from time to
time. Initially milking cows were kept in the barn, then in
1966-67 Dr Pari
Basrur’s
“cattleo” were
housed there
before being
moved to a farm
barn in Puslinch
Township. Dr. 42. Research station dairy cattle in the Gale
barn, circa 1960
Basrur, a
geneticist, was studying the genetic effects of cross
breeding cattle with bison. In the late 1960’s the barn
41. Gale farm barn and silo, circa 1960
was also used for holding Hanoverian horses imported
from Germany by Fritz Floto for E. P. Taylor. The silo was never used for storage because
animal feed was purchased in, but it stood as a sentinel of days gone by until the Research Station
was closed and the buildings demolished.
The Beginning Of The End
The demise of the Research Station began in 1968 when the City of Guelph annexed part
of Guelph Township, thus prohibiting the pasturing of farm animals within city limits. Two farms
in Puslinch Township had been purchased so the facilities (barns and paddocks) could be used as
temporary housing and pasturing for large animals prior to the building of a new Research Station
in the North end of Eramosa Township. One farm was utilized primarily by Physiology for
housing cows and horses required for research and teaching purposes, while the other farm
became the new home of the deer herd used in Fur Bearing Animals and Wildlife Diseases. Some
of the large animal attendants were transferred to these farms, and later to the Eramosa Station.
Eventually, the mink colony was moved to the Eramosa Station, as were Hugh Belcher and Art
Smith, the latter and his family occupying the farm house located on the property. As for the
Puslinch Township farms, the land on these properties was eventually used for extracting
aggregate, an issue that made headline news for the University of Guelph.
Also, there had been rumours for years that a Holiday Inn was to be built nearby the old
station. This was actually preceded by the leasing of the old Gale Farm land to Sifton Properties
for building Phase I of Stone Road Mall, followed by a townhouse sub-division. Thus, with a
growing population of faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate students in the Veterinary
College and the University of Guelph Campus, a coordinated building boom started in the early to
mid 1970's to accommodate animals and personnel to be displaced by the eventual closing of the
Research Station and the general growth of the university. At this time the Central Animal
Facility was built to accommodate small research animals, and two new extensions were built at
the Vet College. With the now named Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology
and the Department of Pathology located on the third floor of the main Vet College at that time,
and with the cancelling of plans to move Biomedical Sciences to a new building on Gordon Street
in the exact location of the new Pathobiology Complex (under construction in 2009-2010), the
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extension along College Avenue was for an expanded Department of Pathology which included a
new Post Mortem Room and Incinerator, and renovations to the Fur Breeding and Wildlife
Diseases building to accommodate a revamped Department of Veterinary Microbiology and
Immunology. The other extension, to become known as Bld. Ext. 3 and funded by Sifton
Properties, was a three storey add-on to the South end of the original 1922 Veterinary College.
The ground floor became a radio-biological suite for Dr. Gerry Robinson and his staff displaced
from “E”-Bld, the middle floor an extension of the OVC McNabb Library (in recent years
renamed the Learning Commons), and the upper floor a new Veterinary Histology Teaching
Laboratory and preparatory areas, plus a research facility for Dr. Dieter Geissinger from “E”-Bld.
With the vacating of the old pathology post
mortem room, Sifton Properties also funded
renovation of this area into a new fully equipped
large animal operating theatre with anterooms for
the Department of Biomedical Sciences.
Thus, the fate of the OVC Research
Station had been sealed. All that remained for
many years were the trees in the Sears parking lot
that lined each side of the original dirt driveway
into the Station. Unfortunately, the left side row
of trees was removed during redesigning and repaving the parking lot, but the right side line of
trees still exists along the grass verge.
43. The remaining trees in the Sears parking lot that lined the
entrance driveway to the research station, circa April 2008
The Physiology Teaching Laboratory
Having to remain in the old part of the OVC in areas known as Blds. 39 and 40, the
Department of Biomedical Sciences underwent piecemeal renovations over a period of 35 years.
Thus, another legacy was lost in the 1980's with the demolition of the Veterinary Physiology
Teaching Laboratory during a phase of renovations on the 2nd floor of Bld. 40. The Veterinary
Physiology Teaching Laboratory, of which only archival photos exist, was designed in the late
1940's by the late Dr. Tom Batt, who was the mainstay of the veterinary physiology curriculum.
The lab consisted of rows of replicated wooden benches with shelving above and fully equipped
lockers below so that each pair of students could be assigned their own work space. There were in
fact two sets of equipped lockers so that the lab eventually became multi-disciplined for teaching
courses not only in Veterinary Physiology and Veterinary Surgical Procedures, but also in
Animal, Agricultural and Human Physiology. As well as the excellent quality of wood and
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carpentry, the salient feature of the lab was the demonstration dais reminiscent of a church pulpit.
It was from this dais that Dr. Batt and those that followed in his footsteps gave their pre-lab talks
and introductory demonstrations. A surgical area
had also been provided for at the front of the lab, and
a photograph from1953 is of Harry Downie assisted
by his wife, Mary Downie, doing some experimental
surgery. With the building of new facilities for the
Department of Clinical Studies in the mid-1950's,
Physiology acquired the small animal surgery as part
of its domain, and Harry Downie continued his
surgeries there. The surgery later became the
secretarial office, and is currently the department’s
44. Harry G. and Mary Downie in Physiology lab, circa
1953
common room. Other photos depict the
laboratory at the end of the winter semester
when the lockers were cleaned and reequipped, and portable surgical tables
dismantled and cleaned. It is believed that
the laboratory technician in one on the
photos is a young Del Marucci (later to
marry Colin Parker, who worked in the Large
Animal Clinics). Del passed away Dec. 5,
2010.
45. Physiology teaching lab, circa 1965
Del assisted Jack Crosbie in the running of the Physiology Laboratory.
Jack passed away in Feb. 1994. Just inside the main door of the lab was a
secretarial office, off the lab was the prep room, and off the prep room was
Dr. Batt’s office. In 1967 Eileen Cabeldu
and Joan Hamilton were the secretaries,
and Ralph Ballagh the laboratory
custodian, later to be replaced by Erwin
Bonikowsky, then Norm Gerrie. Ralph
served in the Canadian Armed Forces in
England during WW11, and was an
46. Jack Crosbie, circa 1985 accomplished saxophone musician who
played assignments with the Tommy
Dorsey Orchestra when it performed at Paradise Gardens in
47. Ralph Ballagh in Physiology lab
with Eileen Cabeldu and Dr. Art
Guelph in the 1950's and 60's.
Graham at photocopier, circa 1969
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At a time near his retirement, Tom Batt admitted that he would rather have been an interior
designer or a landscape architect than a veterinarian. He actually did achieve his wishes by
painstakingly turning a five acre plot of land into a formal English style garden, and decorating his
house at Christmas like something out of this world. The lucky ones among us were invited to see
both. Dr. Batt also said, “When I’m
gone, some developer will come along
and turn it all into some business
venture.” His prediction came true in
2007, when Haddon Hall, the assumed
name of his home on Gordon Street, and
his formal garden became just another
legacy lost under bricks and mortar.
48. Dr. Batt’s Christmas decorations,
circa 1979
49. Dr. Batt’s decorations,
circa 1979
Parking Lot Sheds
Prior to the parking lot side of the OVC being tidied up during a 1980's phase of
renovations, the site consisted of a conglomeration of smaller buildings previously used for
research or for housing animals. Two of the archival photos show a derelict structure used by Dr.
Art Graham for housing sheep for student laboratory demonstrations using remote telegraphy.
50. Old storage shed in the yard behind the original OVC post
mortem room, circa 1960
51. Shed used for sheep radiotelegraphy. The brick
building on the right was for flammable storage, circa 1960
The sheep were set up with probes to monitor physiological parameters, such as, pulse rate, blood
pressure, inhalation rate, etc, which were then monitored remotely using a physiograph in the
Veterinary Physiology Teaching Laboratory. Unfortunately, neglect of these smaller buildings, or
deferred maintenance, as it was referred to by the University, was part of the legacy that led to the
Veterinary College being put on limited accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical
Association in the mid-1980's.
Pieced together by Bob Braham with contributions of information, editing and photos from Pari
Basrur, Tim Bast, Keith Betteridge, Joan Budd, Stuart Crane, Mary Downie, Fritz Floto, Melva
McGregor, Pat Parkinson, Jim Raeside and Carol Wasnidge. A special thanks to Brenda Bast for
inserting photos into the text.
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