Williams, W. L. (Walter Long), 1856-1945

Walter Long Williams, among the members of the original faculty of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, attended schools in Illinois including the Presbyterian Seminary at Mt. Zion for one year and the Illinois Industrial University, now the University of Illinois, for two years. He continued his studies at the Montreal Veterinary College, graduating as an honor student in 1879. While working in private practice for 12 years, he also became Assistant State Veterinarian in Illinois. Beginning in 1891 he taught at Purdue University; two years later became a professor at the Montana Agricultural College, Bozeman. Following announcement of the founding of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell, he wrote to Dr. James Law and was asked to come for an interview. In 1896 he was appointed Professor of Veterinary Surgery, Obstetrics, Zootechnics and Jurisprudence. He continued in this appointment until 1915 when he became Professor of Veterinary Obstetrics and Research Professor in diseases of breeding cattle. He became a Professor Emeritus in 1921. During his tenure the clinics were founded at Cornell; he was the first to establish a course in Surgical Exercises; and authored two textbooks still in use at the time of his death: "Veterinary Obstetrics" and "Diseases of the Genital Organs of Domestic Animals." He also first diagnosed the disease "dourine" in America in 1885, and developed the "roaring operation." He was a member of the following professional organizations: Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, New York State Veterinary Medical Association, Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, honorary member of Société centrale de médecine vétérinaire (France), Central Veterinary Society of England, and Veterinary Society of Sweden. He wrote articles for American Veterinary Review and Veterinary Journal of London.