[The economic Section of the Dutch Society for Sciences].

In 1777 the "Economic Section" was founded as a branch of the "Dutch Society for Sciences" in Haarlem. It is the oldest organization in the area of economy in the Netherlands. The aim of the society was to stop the economic recession in the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands and to stimulate economic growth by spreading practical knowledge concerning industry and agriculture (including veterinary medicine). The Economic Section tried to achieve this by awarding prizes for the best essays on various problems in society. In this article special attention is paid to those essays with solutions concerning veterinary medicine and animal husbandry sent in during the second half of the 18th and the beginnings of the 19th century, in order to give an impression of the biggest problems at that time. Among various other veterinary subjects, essays dealt with scab in sheep, cattle plague, milk fever and glanders. Because of the insufficient scientific knowledge concerning the causes of infections and internal diseases hardly any practical solutions were sent in. However, the fact that the attempt was made shows how badly improvements in agriculture, cattle-breeding and veterinary medicine were needed. A need which only after more than 50 years after the opening of the first veterinary school in France resulted in the founding of the State Veterinary School in Utrecht in 1821.