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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 1 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 2 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. 3 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. 4 “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. 5 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 6 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 7 “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. 8 “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 9 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. 10 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. 11 “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. 12 “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 13 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. 14 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 15 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 16 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 17 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. 18