History: Why Jim might be the most important horse in medical history
He even spurred on the creation of the US Food and Drug Administration
Forget Phar Lap — the most important equine in history might well be Jim, the retired milk-wagon horse.
Jim is credited with not only saving lives but bringing about the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Horses like Jim were instrumental in the pre-vaccine days of diphtheria.
A nasty disease, diphtheria can slowly suffocate its victims as the bacteria causes a thin film to develop over the throat.
