Harry William Schoening Papers

October 8, 1885: Born Harry William Schoening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1904:Graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1907: Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a doctorate degree in veterinary medicine

July 1907: Began career as a veterinary inspector at the Bureau of Animal Industry, part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where he worked as a meat inspector. Married Agnes Fernan of Camden, New Jersey

October 1918: Leave of absence from the USDA for military service in the Medical Officers Training Corps

July 1924: Promoted to associate veterinarian at the Bureau of Animal Industry, where he conducted research on animal diseases and bacteriology

May 1925: Sent to Europe as a member of the USDA Foot and Mouth Disease Commission

July 1928: Promoted to senior veterinarian at the Bureau of Animal Industry

January 1932: Promoted to principal veterinarian and appointed chief of the Pathological Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry

March 1936: Appointed assistant chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry

April 1955: Retired from the Veterinary Pathology Branch of the Animal Disease and Parasite Research Division of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

1956: Worked as a collaborator at the ARS

1958: Received the 12th International Veterinary Congress Prize from the American Veterinary Medical Association

The Harry William Schoening Papers span the years 1903 to 1960, with the bulk of materials from 1955 to 1960. The collection contains materials related to Schoening's career at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), with emphasis on his research on animal diseases and his retirement from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in 1955. The collection contains reports, correspondence, photographs, published materials, a scrapbook, and a book. The papers contain approximately two and a half linear feet of material in three document boxes and one clamshell box.

The Schoening Collection is arranged into seven series: Series I. Reports, 1903-1960; Series II. Correspondence, 1954-1955; Series III. Scrapbook, 1926-1958; Series IV. Photographs, 1944-1956; Series V. Retirement, 1955; Series VI. 12th International Veterinary Congress, 1934; and Series VII. Published Materials, 1954-1958.

The bulk of the collection contains material related to Schoening's retirement from the USDA and reports documenting the research activities of Schoening and the Bureau of Animal Industry on animal diseases and parasites. This collection does not represent all of Schoening's professional papers. The Records of the Bureau of Animal Industry (Record Group 17) are held by the National Archives and Records Administration.

The collection is particularly strong in documenting Schoening's activities within the USDA. There are numerous photographs of Schoening and his colleagues, many of which are annotated. The photographs in Series III and Series V would be of particular interest to researchers studying the institutional history of the Agricultural Research Service and its predecessor departments.

Series I. Reports. 1903-1960. 4 folders.

This series contains reports related to Schoening's research on diseases and parasites affecting livestock animals. This series contains annual reports on hog cholera from 1903-1960. Each report summarizes the research activities and findings of the Bureau of Animal Industry on hog cholera for that given year. The collection also contains work project reports from 1960. These reports were originally stored in a binder with dividers for each part of the report. The reports have been removed from the binder but the dividers and the original order have been maintained. There are two groups of reports. The first group, Reports A1-A10, covers diseases affecting specific livestock animals. The second group, Reports B1-B6, is related to parasites affecting specific livestock animals. This series is arranged chronologically.

A preservation copy was made of several of the reports due to the poor quality of the originals. The originals have been retained and have been placed immediately after the preservation copies.

Series II. Correspondence. 1954-1955. 1 folder.

This series contains three letters from professional colleagues. This series is arranged chronologically by date.

Series III. Scrapbook. 1926-1958. 58 folders.

The scrapbook in Series VI is entitled, "Pictorial history of individuals who worked at the Bureau of Animal Industry." The scrapbook contains photographs of Schoening and his colleagues at the Bureau of Animal Industry, as well as photographs taken during Schoening's professional travels. Many of the photographs are well-annotated, with dates and lists of meeting participants, while others have no dates or identifying information.

Due to preservation concerns, the scrapbook was photocopied using a color photocopier and disassembled to maintain the integrity of the individual photographs in the scrapbook. The preservation photocopies are numbered by page and each photograph on the page has been assigned a letter. The back of the photographs have been photocopied to show annotations and have been placed immediately after the page to which they refer. The original photographs are arranged chronologically by page number in individual folders at the end of the series. The leather binder in which the scrapbook was originally housed has been placed in Box 4.

Series IV. Photographs. 1944-1956. 1 folder.

This series includes photographs of Schoening and his colleagues as well as some personal photographs. Many of the photographs were taken at professional conferences and symposia. This series is arranged chronologically, with undated photographs filed at the end of the series.

Series V. Retirement. 1955. 7 folders.

The Retirement Series includes letters of correspondence and photographs pertaining to Schoening's retirement from the USDA in 1955. This series is comprised of two subseries--Subseries A: Correspondence and Subseries B: Photographs.

• Subseries V. A. Retirement Correspondence. 1955.

This subseries contains letters of congratulations from friends and colleagues within the USDA and from around the world. The correspondence subseries is arranged chronologically by date and there under alphabetically by last name of correspondent. The correspondence was originally housed in two leather binders with Schoening's name embossed on the front covers. The correspondence has been removed from the binders for preservation purposes and has been re-housed in acid-free folders. The empty binders have been retained and can be found in Box 4.

• Subseries V. B. Retirement Photographs. 1955.

This subseries contains photographs taken at Schoening's retirement party on April 21, 1955. Most of the photographs are not labeled. This subseries was originally housed in a leather binder, but for preservation purposes the photographs were removed from the binder. The original order of the photographs has been maintained. The empty notebook is stored in Box 4.

Series VI. 12th International Veterinary Congress. 1934. 1 folder.

This series contains volume one (of three) of the proceedings of the 12th International Veterinary Congress held in New York, New York, on August 13-18, 1934. Volume one contains information related to the organization of the Congress, papers of general sessions, and resolutions. The volume is written in English, French, and German. The book has Schoening's name stamped in gold lettering on the front cover and it contains a bookplate inscribed, "Presented to Dr. Harry W. Schoening, Official Delegate. Honor Roll Member. by the Organizing Committee in Behalf of the Congress."

Series VII. Published Materials. 1954-1958. 2 folders.

The Published Material series contains materials compiled by Schoening in the course of his work at the USDA. The series contains excerpts of scholarly articles published in the Bulletin de l'Office International des Epizooties, Comptes rendus des seances de l'Academie des Sciences, Attualita Medica, and Les Echos de la Medecine. All of the articles are written in French and authored by M. Gaston Ramon. This series also contains one copy of the September 17, 1958 USDA Employee New Bulletin. A picture of Schoening and a short article about Schoening's award from the 12th International Veterinary Congress appear in the bulletin. The series is arranged chronologically by date.

All information used in compiling this finding aid was found in the collection materials.

Related Collections at the National Agricultural Library

USDA Bureau of Animal Industry Photograph Collection, 1913-1951 (Manuscript Collection 178), Special Collections, National Agricultural Library.

Related Holdings at other Institutions

The Records of the Bureau of Animal Industry (Record Group 17) are held by the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, MD.

Publications of Harry William Schoening

1. "The Conglutination Test for the Diagnosis of Glanders," Journal of Agricultural Research 11, no. 3 (October 15, 1917).
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84J

2. "The Presence of Diphtheria Antitoxin in the Blood of Certain Normal Horses and Its Demonstration by the Schick Test," Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (June 7, 1922).

3. "Trypanosomiasis in Camels: Its Detection by Complement-Fixation," Journal of Infectious Diseases 34, no. 6 (1924): 606-613.

4. "An Incubation Period of Sixteen Months in Rabies," Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 19, no. 2 (November 1924).

5. "Studies on the Single Injection Method of Vaccination as a Prophylactic against Rabies in Dogs," Journal of Agricultural Research 30, no. 5 (March 1, 1925).
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84J

6. "Complement-Fixation Tests on Serums of Cattle Harboring Trypanosoma Americanum," The American Journal of Tropical Medicine 5, no. 3 (May 1925).

7. "Experimental and Field Results of the Single Injection Canine Rabies Vaccine," Cornell Veterinarian (April 1928).

8. "Experimental Studies with Killed Canine Rabies Vaccines," Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (January 1930).

9. "An Improved Method for the Recovery of Trypanosomes from the Blood of Rats for Antigen Purposes in Connection with Complement-Fixation," Journal of Agricultural Research (September 23, 1918) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84J

10. "Dourine of Horses," Farmers' Bulletin No. 1146, U.S. Department of Agriculture
[co-author].
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84F no. 1146

11. "The Colloidal Gold Test in Dourine," Journal of Infectious Diseases (July 1922) [co-author].

12. "A Study in the Serology, the Cerebro-Spinal Fluid and the Pathological Changes in the
Spinal Cord in Dourine," Journal of Agricultural Research 26, no. 10 (December 8,
1923) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84J

13. "Comparative Studies in Vesicular Stomatitis and Foot and Mouth Disease," Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical Association (November 1926) [co-author].

14. "Report of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Commission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture"
Technical Bulletin 76 (June 1928) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84Te no. 76

15. "Prophylactic Vaccination of Dogs Against Rabies," Journal of the American Veterinary
Medical Association 78, no. 5 (May 1931).

16. "Immunization of Dogs Against Rabies by the One-Injection Method," American Journal of
Public Health 21, no. 6 (June 1931).

17. "A Laboratory Tube Test and a Whole Blood Rapid Agglutination Test for the Diagnosis of
Swine Erysipelas," North American Veterinarian (December 1932) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 41.8 N812

18. "An Agglutination Test for Swine Erysipelas," Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association 82, no. 3 [co-author].

19. "Serological Studies of Swine Erysipelas with Particular Reference to Agglutination,"
Journal of Agricultural Research 50, no. 1 (January 1, 1935) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84J

20. "Can the Health Officer Safely Utilize Prophylactic Immunization as the Sole Means to
Control Canine Rabies?" American Journal of Public Health 26, no. 3 (March 1936).

21. "Swine Erysipelas - With Particular Reference to Serological Diagnosis," Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical Association 88, no.3 (March 1936) [co-author].

22. "Production of So-Called Alkali Disease in Hogs by Feeding Corn Grown in Affected
Areas," North American Veterinarian 17, no. 9 (September 1936).
NAL Call Number: 41.8 N812

23. "Studies on Erysipelothrix Rhusiopathiae with Special Reference to Smooth and Rough Type
Cultures," Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 92, no. 1 (January
1938) [co-author].

24. "A Review of the 1938 Outbreak of Infectious Equine Encephalomyelitis in the United
States," Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the U.S. Live Stock Sanitary
Association (December 1938) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 49.9 UN3R

25. "Equine Encephalomyelitis Produced by Inoculation of Human Encephalitis Virus," Science
88, no. 2287 (October 28, 1938) [co-author].

26. "Toxicity of Selenium Fed to Swine in the Form of Sodium Selenite," Journal of
Agricultural Research 56, no. 11 (June 1, 1938) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84J

27. 'Equine Encephalomyelitis," Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 95,
no. 750 (September 1939).

28. "Infectious Equine Encephalomyelitis in 1939," Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of
the U.S. Live Stock Sanitary Association (December 1939) [co-author].
NAL Call Number: 49.9 UN3R

29. "Report of the Committee on Rabies," Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the U.S.
Live Stock Sanitary Association (December 1939).
NAL Call Number: 49.9 UN3R

30. "A Study of an Outbreak of Acute Swine Erysipelas in One Herd," Journal of the American
Veterinary Medical Association 95, no. 759 (June 1940) [co-author].

31. "Studies on the Intradermal Method of Vaccination Against Equine Encephalomyelitis,"
Veterinary Medicine 35, no. 7 (July 1940) [co-author].

32. "Report on a Preliminary Field Survey of the So-Called 'Alkali Disease' of Livestock,"
Circular No. 320, United States Department of Agriculture (August 1934) [co-author]. NAL Call Number: 1 Ag84C no. 320

33. "Reactions Following Administration of Equine Encephalomyelitis Vaccine," Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical Association 97, no. 760 (July 1940).

This list was transcribed from a list of publications compiled Harry William Schoening on August 19, 1940. The list does not represent all of Schoening's publications, particularly those published after August 1940. It is also important to note that the citations have not been checked for accuracy.