H. T. Whittell facts for kids

Horatio Thomas Whittell (1826 – 21 August 1899) was an important medical doctor in South Australia. He was also Adelaide's City Coroner, a role where he investigated deaths to find out how they happened. People often called him H. T. Whittell.

Horatio Thomas Whittell: A Life of Service

Horatio Thomas Whittell was born in Warwick, England, in 1826. He had a happy childhood and went to a private school. When he was 19, he started studying medicine at Queen's College, Birmingham. He also enjoyed reading about legal cases in his free time. He became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and worked as a house surgeon at Queen's Hospital. After practicing medicine in Birmingham for ten years, he earned his M.D. degree from Aberdeen.

Dr. Whittell arrived in Adelaide in May 1858. He quickly became involved in the Total Abstinence Society, which promoted avoiding alcohol. He had a very busy medical practice. First, he worked from his home on Grenfell Street. Ten years later, he moved his practice to North Terrace.

In 1859, Adelaide faced an outbreak of diphtheria, a serious illness. Dr. Whittell had experience with a similar outbreak in England, so he was very busy helping people. He even published a booklet about the disease that year. He first worked alone, but after Dr. Anton Bayer passed away in 1866, he partnered with Dr. William Gosse for about six years. Then, he returned to working by himself.

Around 1879, Dr. Whittell might have been overworked. He took on Dr. J. Davies Thomas as a partner. By the end of that year, he sold his practice to Dr. Thomas. He then took a long trip to Europe to rest and recover. He stayed in Europe for two and a half years. During this time, he became very interested in new discoveries about tiny living things called microbes. He developed a strong passion for using microscopes. He met famous scientists like Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur, whose discoveries were changing medicine. Meeting them made a lasting impression on Dr. Whittell.

On 20 August 1883, Dr. Whittell became the President of the Central Board of Health, taking over from Dr. Gosse. He used his knowledge of microscopy to help solve many public health problems. In January 1886, he was also made the Registrar of Births, Marriages, and Deaths. He had to do these extra duties without getting paid more.

In October 1888, Dr. Whittell was appointed City Coroner. This was in addition to his duties at the Central Board of Health. He also became the Vaccination Officer and Inspector of Anatomy. Even with all these important roles, some people in Parliament thought he should be removed from his positions. In January 1889, he was replaced as Registrar General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages.

Perhaps his greatest public service was as City Coroner. This job needed not only medical knowledge but also a lot of kindness and understanding. Dr. Whittell was known for having these qualities. He also had a good understanding of the law. He was always thoughtful towards witnesses and tried to finish inquests in one day if possible.

Dr. Whittell passed away peacefully after being ill for a few months. He was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery. His wife died of pneumonia a few months later. His daughter, Anna, inherited most of his estate.

Other Contributions

Dr. Whittell had many other interests and roles:

• He was a member of the Board of Management at the Adelaide Hospital for ten years. He also served as an Honorary Surgeon and worked hard to improve the nursing profession.
• He was a member of the University Council. He also worked as an examiner for hygiene.
• His home laboratory on East Terrace was one of the best equipped in the colony for studying things under a microscope.
• He was the Deputy Chairman of the South Australian Branch of the A.M.P. Society.
• He was on the Board of Governors for the Public Library.
• He was an active Mason and held a high rank in the Grand Lodge of Freemasons in South Australia.
• He helped start the Field Naturalists' Section of the Royal Society and was its first Vice-President.

Family Life

Dr. Whittell married Caroline on 3 August 1848. They had a son and a daughter:

• Henry Lloyd Whittell (1855 – 17 October 1937) married Vincentia Maria Lucas in 1879. He was a solicitor. He later moved to West Maitland, New South Wales, and then to Penrith near Sydney.
• Anna Maria Prince Whittell ( – 22 July 1930) married singer Richard Nitschke in London in 1902. They lived in London for 30 years.

The family had a home on East Terrace, Adelaide.

There is no evidence that Dr. Horatio Thomas Whittell was related to H. M. Whittell, who was a famous Australian ornithologist (someone who studies birds).