Cummings, John F.

Memorial Statement for Professor John F. Cummings, D.V.M., M.S., Ph.D. (1936-1996) who was Assistant Professor (1967), Associate Professor (1971), Professor (1977), and James Law Professor of Anatomy for a total of 29 years at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. He was also Secretary of the College (1995-1996). His "greatest contribution to the College of Veterinary Medicine was as a teacher", especially in teaching microscopic anatomy to first year students. "Scientists around the world looked to John as a valuable source of information on the light microscopic and ultrastructural anatomy of domestic animals." Professor Cummings' research focused on identifying neurological disorders of domestic animals that were models for similar human disorders, such as peripheral neuropathies, storage diseases due to inherited enzyme deficiencies, central nervous system axonopathies, and motor neuron diseases, including polyradiculoneuritis (Coonhound paralysis) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease. The memorial statements contained herein were prepared by the Office of the Dean of the University Faculty of Cornell University to honor its faculty for their service to the university