Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

teach veterinary medicine. Others conduct

research. They look for better

medicines. In addition, a number of

veterinarians try to control animal diseases

that can spread to humans.

Veterinary medicine may have begun as

early as 2000 BC in Babylonia (present-

Veterinarians at zoos care for a

wide range of animals.

Pet owners can help keep their pets healthy

by taking them to a veterinarian for regular

checkups.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Veterinary Medicine 75

 

day Iraq) and Egypt. In the Middle Ages

(AD 500–1500) veterinary medicine

practically disappeared. Then in the

1700s a disease killed herds of cattle in

Europe. To prevent this from happening

again, colleges of veterinary medicine

were created in Europe. Soon they were

found all over the world.

Viburnum

Viburnums are shrubs and small trees

that are often planted in parks and gardens.

Most have showy flowers and colorful

fruits.

There are 200 species, or types, of

viburnum. Plant scientists place them

in the honeysuckle family of plants.

They can be found in Europe, Asia,

and North America. Viburnums grow

in areas that have mild or subtropical

weather.

The flowers of viburnums are often

white and have a sweet smell. They usually

grow in clusters, or groups. These

clusters can be so large that they look

like snowballs. Two popular types of

viburnum are the Chinese snowball and

the Japanese snowball.

Most viburnums have blue-black fruit.

Their leaves come in many shapes. A

type of viburnum called the black haw

has plumlike leaves. The sheepberry has

oval leaves.

Viburnums vary in height. The American

wayfaring tree grows up to 10 feet (3

meters) tall. The wayfaring tree of

Europe reaches a height of 16 feet (5

meters).

Victoria, Queen

Queen Victoria was queen of the United

Kingdom from 1837 to 1901. She

reigned over her country longer than

any other British king or queen before

her. Her reign is called the Victorian

Age.

Viburnum flowers grow in round clusters, or

groups, that sometimes look like snowballs.

Queen Victoria

76 Viburnum BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Early Life

Alexandrina Victoria was born on May

24, 1819, in London, England, the capital

of the United Kingdom. Her father

was a son of King George III. Her

mother was a German princess.

Reign

Victoria became queen in 1837. She was

18 years old. The young queen learned

about the British government from Lord

Melbourne, the British prime minister

(head of government).

In 1840 Victoria married her cousin

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

They had nine children together. Almost

all of them married members of European

royal families.

Albert died in 1861. Victoria was never

really happy after that. She stopped

going to places where people could see

her. She spent less and less time in London

and more and more time in a castle

in Scotland called Balmoral.

Then another prime minister, named

Benjamin Disraeli, became Victoria’s

friend. Disraeli pleased Victoria in 1876

by making the British government a part

owner of the Suez Canal. The canal was

an important link between Europe and

Asia. Disraeli pleased Victoria even more

by giving her the title of empress of

India in 1876.

Later Years

As the years passed, Victoria kept her

popularity. In 1887 the British people

had a big celebration called the Golden

Jubilee to honor her 50 years as queen.

Ten years later they had another big

celebration called the Diamond Jubilee.

On January 22, 1901, Victoria died at

age 81 on the Isle ofWight, an island in

the English Channel. Her son Edward

VII then became king.

#More to explore

George III • United Kingdom

Victoria

Victoria is the second smallest of Australia’s

six states. Only the island state of

Tasmania is smaller. But Victoria is the

second largest state in population. Only

New SouthWales has more people. Victoria’s

capital is Melbourne.

Geography

Victoria lies in the southeastern corner

of Australia. It shares borders with New

SouthWales on the north and South

Australia on the west. The Pacific Ocean

lies to the east. The Tasman Sea and the

Antarctic Ocean lie to the south. Victo-

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Victoria 77

 

ria’s area is 87,806 square miles

(227,416 square kilometers).

The Murray River runs along most of

Victoria’s border with New South

Wales. Mountains rise in the northeast

and in the center of the state. Mount

Bogong, at 6,516 feet (1,986 metres), is

the highest point. Flat plains lie north,

west, and south of the mountains. Sandy

deserts are found in the west.

People

About 5 million people live in Victoria.

Most people can trace their roots to

Great Britain. Some have other European

or Asian roots. About one quarter

of Victoria’s people were born outside

Australia. A small number of Aborigines,

or native Australians, also live in

Victoria.

Melbourne is the largest city in Victoria

and the second largest city in Australia.

It has a population of more than 3

million. Melbourne is a port, an

industrial city, and the cultural center

of Victoria. It lies on the southern coast

of the state.

Economy

Victoria has one of the strongest economies

in Australia. Many people work in

manufacturing. Factories produce