In the light of recent advances in human hematology employing the study of bone marrow, it seemed that similar technics might be employed in veterinary medicine. In human medicine bone marrow studies have been found to be valuable in the diagnosis of obscure conditions, particularly anemias, leukemias, myelomas and cancer, to confirm diagnoses, as an aid in the understanding of disease processes and in the bioassay of drugs. A search of the literature failed to reveal any available studies on the bone marrow of our domestic animals with the exception of the dog.

The veterinary practitioner in our southern states is confronted with a number of problems that are not found in other sections of the United States. One important reason for such differences is the climate which ranges from that comparable to the climate of the midwest to semi-tropical with an annual rainfall of sixty inches or more. Higher temperatures and heavy precipitation favor the development of spore forming bacteria and all forms of parasites. Another reason is the one crop system of agriculture that has predominated for many years. Livestock production has only recently become a serious part of the agricultural program, hence southern farmers as a whole are not "livestock-minded." Breeding, feeding and management practices still leave much to be desired. There are of course notable exceptions, and outstanding flocks and herds are to be found in all of the southern states.

Not too many years ago veterinary students studied anatomy looking forward to the care of large animals, and in particular the horse, as the main source of future income. Modern embalming techniques were not applied to animals, and, of necessity, their laboratory work was done in cold dissecting rooms during the winter months.