Henry Hugh Dukes was born September 9, 1895 in St. George, South Carolina. He received a B.S. (1915) from Clemson College (University). Dr. Dukes also received a D.V.M. (1918) and an M.S. (1923) from Iowa State College (University).



Dr. Dukes worked as a Teaching Fellow (1915-1918) in the Veterinary Physiology Department at Iowa State. He accepted a position at Clemson College as an Assistant Professor of Veterinary Science and as Assistant State Veterinarian for South Carolina (1918-1920). Dr. Dukes went into private practice (1920-1921), before returning to Iowa State as an Instructor (1922-1923) in Veterinary Physiology; he was then promoted to Assistant Professor (1923-1932). Dr. Dukes accepted a position as Professor and Head (1932-1960) of the Physiology Department of the New York State Veterinary College, Cornell University. After retiring from Cornell as a Professor Emeritus, he again returned to Iowa State University as a Professor (1961-1978) in the Veterinary Physiology Department.



Dr. Dukes took great delight in working with students of all ages; in the 1960s he brought his lectures and demonstrations to high school students throughout the United States. He also starred in a series of instructional veterinary films, The Dukes Physiology Film Series (1968-1969), which are based on his lectures. Dr. Dukes’ textbook, Physiology of Domestic Animals, first published in 1933, is now in its 12th edition and is a core text for students of veterinary physiology. Due to Dr. Dukes contributions to the study of veterinary physiology, he had become known as the “Dean of Veterinary Physiologists.”



Dr. Dukes received numerous awards and honors including the Borden Award (1960), the Twelfth International Veterinary Congress Prize (1963), Honorary Doctorate of Science from Clemson University (1966), Distinguished Physiologist from the American Society of Veterinary Phyisiologists and Pharmacologists (1973), Stange Award from the Iowa State University College of Veterianry Medicine (1975), and the Distinguished Achievement Citation from Iowa State University Alumni Association (1977). He was also a member of various honor societies and professional organizations, such as Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Zeta (National President, 1940-1946), the New York Academy of Science (Fellow, 1961), New York State Veterinary Medical Society (Life Member, 1960), and American Society of Veterinary Physiologists and Pharmacologists (Life Member, 1961).



Dr. Dukes passed away on June 8, 1987.