Using animal models for disease research dates back to 384 B.C. Even then we were working toward new discoveries.

In the 2nd century, a man in Rome, named Galen, was the first to dissect animals for human surgery.

In the 12th century Avenzoar also dissected and Ibn al-Nufis used animal models to explain how blood circulates in the body.

The first law against cruelty to farm animals was the Martin's Act, passed in 1822 in Great Britain

In mid 1850's, Charles Darwin made theory that stated that animals could be used to further understand human anatomy and develoope cures for disease.

Lous Pasteur created vaccinces for rabies and cholera in 1880.

In 1922, insulin was isolated from a dog through animal testing.

Antibiotics and anesthetics were made using animal models in the 1930's.




In the 1940's, monkeys were used to isolate forms of the polio virus, this experiment was performed by Jonas Sulk.

In 1960 a heart valve replacement surgery was performed on a human by Albert Starr, he had perfected the procedure over many trials on dogs.

In the 1970'sleprosy antibiotic treatments were perfected using leprosy bacteria grown in armadillos, and were then tested in clinical trials on humans.

Towards the end of the twentieth century animals had been crucial to the making of cancer and HIV drugs.

 In 2008, Spain was the first country to prohibit the use of apes in medical experiments.

Today animal models are still used, this practice still produces a lot of debate but through the use of these models we have broken barriers in the medical world and hope to keep it that way.


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