MS 259
The International Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine
Records, 1979-1992

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

Descriptive summary

creator:

The International Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine

title:

Records

dates:

1979-1992

extent:

0.84 linear feet (2 manuscript boxes)

collection number:

MS 259

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

The International Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine, Records, 1979-1992, MS 259, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Historical note


The International Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine originated at the 1983 Congress of the World Veterinary Congress.  Originally called World Veterinarians Against Nuclear War (WVANW), it was formed as a result of the effort by Dr. Robert Shomer and Dr. Ole Stalheim to submit a resolution against nuclear war to the congress.  Twenty-nine charter members from ten countries drafted a resolution which was passed by the 1988 congress in the following form:

  "The XXIII World Veterinary Congress aware of the capacity of the super powers in the field of nuclear armaments and their plans to extend their action radius into space, and deeply conscious of the real threat of an accidental nuclear war, calls upon the Governments of all countries to abolish all nuclear arms in order to protect man, animals and plants against the danger of radioactive fallout."

The scope of the organization was later expanded to include all disasters affecting the well being of animals, whether natural or man-made.  The organization's name became the International Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine (IVADM) to reflect this change.  The objectives of the Academy, as stated in the Constitution, were as follows:

1.         To assemble, present and discuss data on natural and man-made disasters affecting the well being of all animals.

2.         To make recommendations to the veterinary profession and the public at large on ways to cope with disasters and to alleviate the sufferings they cause animals, or on the prevention of disasters if coping is impossible, as with nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction.

3.         To promote research and study in emergency and disaster veterinary medicine.

4.         To pursue these objectives using our professional, scientific, educational and legislative resources, to collaborate with others, and to cooperate with national associations in mutual endeavors.

The first meeting of the Academy was held in Brighton, England in 1985, in conjunction with the World Congress on Emergency and Disaster Medicine.  Subsequent meetings were held in Montreal, Canada during the 1987 World Veterinary Congress, and in Hong Kong during the 1989 World Congress on Emergency and Disaster Medicine.  At the Hong Kong meeting, the Academy advanced the following guidelines for coping with disasters:

"Every community should have a disaster preparedness plan developed by voluntary and governmental agencies with input by veterinarians; it should include animals and veterinary care.  The initial aid for animals in disasters will come from persons in the area; they should have some guidance on emergency animal care.  Facilities for emergency veterinary services should be identified and the locations should be publicized.  Mobile veterinary disaster units should be established on a stand-by basis.  A national inventory of such units should be maintained.  Guidelines in emergency and disaster medicine should be taught in veterinary schools and included in continuing education programs."

Though a fourth meeting was planned for the IVADM at the 1991 World Veterinary Congress, it never materialized, leaving the future of the Academy in doubt.  Dr. Ole Stalheim, Secretary of the Academy, summarized the IVADM's contribution:

"Although the future of the Academy is uncertain, it can be credited with significant accomplishments.  First, it was a participant in a worldwide shift in people's perception of nuclear war.  The World Veterinary Association and even former Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara, now favor the abolition of all nuclear weapons.  In many countries veterinarians and their organizations work in opposition to nuclear war and have plans for emergency actions in time of disasters, but most of them are not properly equipped and efforts must continue.  Despite these small but definite advances, the main-line veterinary organizations have not broadened their concept of animal welfare to include a permanent, significant role in animal disasters.  Whether they will do so remains to be seen."

For more information about the history of the IVADM, see files 1/1 and 2/18-2/20.  Dr. Ole Stalheim, Secretary of the Academy, deposited these records in the Department of Special Collections in December of 1992.

 

Collection Description


The collection contains files documenting the constitution, correspondence, disaster planning, meetings, membership, news clippings, publications and treasurer's reports of the IVADM. 

 

Organization


The collection is arranged alphabetically by series.

 

  Description of series

 

 

 

Series 1

Constitution

1987, n.d.

extent:

1 folder

 

description:

Constitution, Statement of Purposes, and Objectives.

 

 Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Constitution and Statement of Purposes and Objectives.

1987, n.d.

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 2

Correspondence

1979-1992, n.d.

extent:

25 folders

 

description:

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman and Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary publicizing the IVADM, organizing meetings and making international contacts.

 

Container list  

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

2

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1982

1

3

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1983

1

4

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1984

1

5

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1985

1

6

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1986

1

7

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1987

1

8

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1988

1

9

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1989

1

10

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1990

1

11

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1991

1

12

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

1992

1

13

Correspondence of Robert R. Shomer, Academy Co-Chairman

n.d.

1

14

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1979, 1981

1

15

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1982

1

16

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1983

1

17

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1984

1

18

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1985

1

19

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1986

1

20

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1987

1

21

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1988

1

22

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1989

2

1

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1990

2

2

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1991

2

3

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

1992

2

4

Correspondence of Ole H. V. Stalheim, Academy Secretary

n.d.

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 3

Disaster Planning

1981-1985

extent:

4 folders

 

description:

Disaster planning publications.

 

 Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

 

2

5

"American Humane Operational Guide:  Emergency Animal Relief and Disaster Planning."  Denver: The American Humane Association.

1981

2

6

"Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Departmental Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities."  USDA Departmental Regulation, 1800-1.

9-14-1983

2

7

"A Request for Proposals to Develop an Emergency Plan for the TMI Region."  Philadelphia:  Three Mile Island Public Health Fund.

1985

2

8

Schroeder, Robert J., Editor.  "Veterinary Services in Disasters and Emergencies."  Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 190, No. 6, March 15, 1987

3-15-1987

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 4

Meetings

1985-1989

extent:

2 folders

 

description:

Meetings minutes and programs.

 

Container list  

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

 

2

9

Minutes

1985, 1987, 1989

2

10

Programs

1985, 1987, 1989

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 5

Membership

1988, n.d.

extent:

2 folders

 

description:

Membership application and list.

 

Container list  

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

 

2

11

Membership application

n.d.

2

12

Membership list

1988

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 6

News clippings

1983-1989, n.d.

extent:

1 folder

 

description:

News clippings documenting the activities of the IVADM.

 

 Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

 

2

13

News clippings

1983-1989

n.d.

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 7

Publications

1984-1989, n.d.

extent:

9 folders

 

description:

Papers on veterinary disaster medicine and a newsletter.

 

 Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

 

2

14

Linnabary, R. D.  "Chemical Disasters Among Animals.  "Presented at the Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine Section Meeting of the Annual Meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1985.

1985

2

15

Linnabary, R. D.  "The Veterinarian on the Disaster Team."  Presented at the Sixth World Congress on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Hong Kong, 1989.

1989

2

16

Narahari, N. and Jayaraman, N.  "Study of Effect of MIC Gas on Domestic Animals and on the Spot Report of the Gas Tragedy in Bhopal." 1984.

1984

2

17

Pawal, Otto and Pokorny, Zdenek.  "Veterinary Service for the Purpose of Civil Defense." n.d.

n.d.

2

18

Stalheim, Ole H. V.  "Animal Health and the International Veterinary Academy on Disaster Medicine." n.d.

n.d.

2

19

Stalheim, Ole H. V.  "Emergency and Disaster Medicine, and the Veterinary Profession." n.d.

n.d.

2

20

Stalheim, Ole H. V.  "Nuclear War, Disaster Medicine, and the Veterinary Profession." n.d.

n.d.

2

21

Wu, Xue Qing.  "The Observation on Polluted Biological Effect by Polluted Water Irrigation in Gao Bei Dian District of Beijing." n.d.

n.d.

2

22

Disaster Newsletter (2 issues – December 1987 and September 1988)

1987-1988

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 8

Treasurer's Reports

1984-1991

extent:

1 folder

 

description:

Treasurer's reports.

 

 Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

 

2

23

Treasurer's Reports

1984-1991

Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
Comments: tzanish@iastate.edu
URL: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS259.html
Revised: 12 July 2001.