Artist: Robert Wadsworth Grafton (1876–1936); original portrait by Arvid Nyholm
James Law
LAW, JAMES (1838–1921), inducted 1918
James Law was one of five pioneering veterinarians inducted into the Saddle & Sirloin Club in 1918, through an initiative of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Law attended veterinary school there before pursuing additional training in France. Dr. Law was an established professor in Great Britain when President Andrew D. White approached him to join the faculty of the newly founded Cornell University in 1868. There, he established the first Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program in the United States. Fellow Saddle & Sirloin inductee Daniel Salmon was the first to earn a DVM under Dr. Law. In addition to elevating the training and licensing requirements for veterinarians in America, Dr. Law was a leader in public health. His work on tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, and other epizootics had a profound impact on animal and human health. Law’s Farmer’s Veterinary Advisor offered practical guidance on the treatment of ailments. Serving Cornell for four decades, Dr. Law was also elected president of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1906.
Source: Saddle & Sirloin Guidebook 2026, p. 125