HEALTH - Veterinarian Recognized as Person of National Significance

(Dr. Frank W. Schofield)

This week Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada commemorated the importance of Dr. Frank W. Schofield as a person of national historic significance.

A special ceremony was held on September 30th in Guelph, Ontario with members of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, the University of Guelph and Ontario Veterinary College, the Schofield Memorial Foundation, and Dr. Chung, former Prime Minister of Korea.

Schofield was considered an outstanding veterinarian who was nationally and internationally known for his research in animal disease, in particular sweet clover poisoning of cattle, infections in young animals and viral mink enteritis, which led to improvements in both human and animal health.

His research explained bacterial, viral and toxicological ailments, which he found new ways to prevent or treat. He identified the dangers of Escherechia coli and developed Warfarin, still an important anti-coagulant.

Through his scientific, missionary and political work in Korea, he contributed to the democratic development of that country and is recognized there as a patriot.

He was closely involved with the independence movement by documenting the mass jailing, torture and deaths associated with the struggle for Korean sovereignty.

At the time of his retirement from the Ontario Veterinary College, almost 75% of all English speaking veterinarians in Canada had studied under Dr. Schofield.

Schofield is the only veterinarian to be recognized as a person of national significance by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national historic significance of places, people and events that have marked Canada’s history.