WORLD-RENOWNED SCIENTIST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 12, 27 October 1948, Page 5

WORLD-RENOWNED SCIENTIST

Prof. Petersen’s Visit Next Monday night, farmers and others in this disti-ict will have the chance of hearing Professor W. E. Petersen of Minnesota, world renowned authority in milking technique, milk secretion and dairy cow phychology. He is the man who made that remai'kable film, “The Science of Milk Porduction.”

Farmers of his own country, with characteristic American aptitude for the coining of a snappy phrase, pay the Professor perhaps the highest tribute that is possible in his field. To them, he is known simply as “the cow wizard.” He describes himself as an animal physiologist. Outstanding are his studies on the metabolism of the udder and the effects of hormones on milk secretion. Equally and justly famous is his development of the perfusion apparatus—the artificial heart and lung, shown in his film, which maintain an amputated udder in working condition in one of the University laboratories. Apart from his invaluable extension work through the spoken word and the instructional talkie film, Professor Petersen has collaborated in the production of a number of scientific books and treatise and is the author of over 200 articles and pamphlets on the subject which is his whole interest. This visit to New Zealand was first mdoted after the return to the Dominion of Mr A. H. Ward, Director of Herd Improvement to the New Zealand Dairy Board, from a visit to Britain, Europe, Canada and America in 1946.

While in the States, Mr Ward spent several days at the University of Minnesota with Professor Petersen, and was so impressed both with the man and with the implications of his work so far as our own dairy industry was concerned that, on his return, the Dairy Board decided to invite the professor to visit this country at the first opportunity. For his part, the professor has long been keenly interested in the progress of the Dairy Board’s Herd Improvement Plan in this country, and in his discussions with Mr Ward had expressed a desire to visit New Zealand, to talk over common problems with our scientists in the animal production field and to see for himself something of our dairy industry organisation.

Professor Petersen arrives here from Tauranga on Monday, and will address an East' Coast meeting on Tuesday, later going to Gisborne, where he is due on November 5.