Every man his own farrier in Australia: the origins and growth of a veterinary business in colonial New South Wales.
The life and work is told of John Pottie (1832-1908), a Scotsman who graduated from Edinburgh Veterinary College in 1858. A year later, he contracted to provide veterinary care to a consignment of horses bound for Australia. Once there, he founded a firm that has survived to the present day, still marketing products that originated in his own veterinary remedies. John Pottie brought with him a European tradition of livestock care and treatment that was epitomised in Clater's title and book, Every man his own farrier. His career is of interest for several reasons. Firstly it is because he used this tradition to launch a business enterprise in a new and different market in Australia. Secondly, although his training lay in what may be termed the pre-scientific era of the profession's history, he was able to adapt old traditions successfully to the changes that came in the age of Pasteur and Koch. Finally, the manner in which he did this, besides demonstrating his business acumen, also shows how the professional veterinary qualification gained in value in a new age of science.
Fisher
J
J
Department of Sociol-Economic History, University of Newcastle, NSW 2308 Australia.
D001315:Australia; D018595:Colonialism / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D012606:Scotland; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000266:history*