H. C. Yarrow facts for kids

Henry Crécy Yarrow (born November 19, 1840 – died July 2, 1929) was an American expert in many fields. He was a bird scientist, a reptile and amphibian scientist, a naturalist (someone who studies nature), and a surgeon (a doctor who performs operations).

Early Life and Medical Training

Henry Crecy Yarrow was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1840. He went to schools in Pennsylvania and also in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1859, Henry began studying medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his medical degree (M.D.) in 1861.

Serving During the Civil War

When the American Civil War started, Yarrow became a Medical Examiner. He checked new soldiers for the Pennsylvania Reserves. In 1862, he became an Acting Assistant Surgeon for the U.S. Army. He worked at the Broad and Cherry Streets Hospital in Philadelphia.

He stayed at this hospital for most of the war. He did have a short time serving near Fort Sumter. After the war, in 1866, a serious disease called cholera broke out. Yarrow volunteered to help in Atlanta and Tybee Island, Georgia. He even got cholera himself but recovered in New York. He then went back to examining new soldiers. In 1867, during another cholera outbreak, he helped at Fort Wood in New York Harbor, and also in Baltimore, Maryland, and North Carolina.

Exploring Nature and Science

In 1871, Yarrow met Elliott Coues, a famous naturalist and writer. This meeting sparked Yarrow's interest in ornithology, which is the scientific study of birds.

Western Expeditions and Discoveries

In 1872, Yarrow got an exciting chance to join Lieutenant George Wheeler's explorations. This expedition went into the western parts of the United States, west of the 100th Meridian. Yarrow joined as both a surgeon and a naturalist. This was a great opportunity for him to study nature.

During these trips, he collected many animal specimens. He also made notes for a book he would later publish. This book was about the customs of Native American groups. He collected specimens in parts of Nevada, California, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Work with Fish and Reptiles

While exploring, Yarrow also helped the U.S. Fish Commission in 1872. He became the first Curator of Reptiles at the National Museum from 1872 to 1880. He also led two more trips through the West in 1886 and 1887. On these trips, he collected specimens for medical and national museums.

Yarrow also studied how to treat rabies and how to make antidotes for snake venom. He even invented new types of surgical tools and improved surgical methods.

Later Career and Contributions

In 1879, Henry Yarrow started working with Surgeon John Shaw Billings. He helped with a huge project called the Medical Index Catalogue. This was a massive list of medical books and articles for the Library of the Surgeon General's Office. He worked on this project for almost ten years. He read proofs and prepared manuscripts. He worked so hard that his eyesight was temporarily affected. He had to take time off to recover.

After getting better, he continued his work as an Assistant to the Attending Surgeon. This was at the U.S. Army Dispensary in Washington, D.C.. He stayed there until 1893. Yarrow also taught about skin diseases (dermatology) at George Washington University. He was also a consulting surgeon at the Women's Clinic at the University Hospital.

Other Important Roles

From 1886 to 1917, Henry Yarrow held many other important positions:

• He helped lead the Model Military Hospital at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.
• He worked in the Surgeon General's office for the War Department. He was assigned to study comparative anatomy at the Army Medical Museum.
• He was in charge of the Barnes Hospital at the US Soldier's Home.
• He traveled with delegates from Pan American countries during their visits in the U.S. He stayed on as a medical officer for the Pan American Congress.
• He was appointed as a trustee for George Washington University.
• In 1908, he became a First Lieutenant in the Medical Reserve Corps of the US Army.
• In 1917, he was promoted to Major in the Medical Section of the Officers' Reserve Corps.
• Before World War I ended, he became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army.

Henry Crecy Yarrow was a member of important scientific groups. These included the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was also a founding member of the Cosmos Club. He served as Vice-President of the Cosmos Club in 1886 and 1887, and as President in 1888. He passed away on July 2, 1929.

Species Named in Honor of Yarrow

In 1875, a famous scientist named Edward Drinker Cope named a lizard after Yarrow. This lizard is called Sceloporus jarrovii.