Veterinary-Anatomic Teaching Collection
Team WissensSpuren und Veterinär-Anatomische Lehrsammlung
In 1923, the veterinary training institution was moved from Dresden to Leipzig, and the newly founded Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was incorporated into the Saxon State University. Under the leadership of Hermann Baum, the first director of the Veterinary Anatomy Institute in Leipzig, and Eberhard Ackerknecht, the Veterinary Anatomy Collection was expanded in the following years. However, on December 4th, 1943, it was nearly completely destroyed during an air raid.
History
Some of the oldest objects in the collection include a 19th-century liver-spleen-kidney model of a horse by Louis Auzoux and plaster casts of a horse from around 1900. As part of Hermann Baum’s extensive research on the lymphatic system of domestic mammals in the early 20th century, numerous injection specimens were produced, a few of which have been preserved. In the 1950s, under the direction of Prof. Schwarze, work on the development of the “Glass Horse” and the “Glass Cow” was carried out in collaboration with the Hygiene Museum Dresden. In the 1950s and 1960s, various preparation techniques were used to create numerous wet and dry specimens. The collection continues to grow as new objects are regularly added.
Education and Research
The collection of the Veterinary Anatomical Institute includes anatomical and embryological specimens, as well as demonstration objects used in veterinary education. Students can also access them for self-study.
In addition to specimens, the collection includes models, plaster casts, and sculptures, offering insights into the anatomy of organ systems in domestic mammals, birds, reptiles, small mammals, and selected zoo and wild animals. To further integrate the collection into the institute’s teaching curriculum, the specimens are gradually being enhanced with multimedia resources.
Outreach
In 2020, the institute collaborated with other collections from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the University Library, and the university’s department for art and academic heritage—on a major exhibition exploring the history of veterinary medicine: “On the Beauty and Suffering of Horses.”
Objects from the collection are also frequently used in continuing education events hosted by the institute. Visits are available by appointment, and guided tours can be arranged upon request. Additionally, the institute and its collection actively participate in the Long Night of Sciences, the Children’s University, and the children’s project day “Vetday.”