Sir Thomas Barlow, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Thomas Barlow, 1st Baronet
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Sir Thomas Barlow (born November 4, 1845, died January 12, 1945) was a very important British doctor. He was even a doctor to three British kings and queens! He is famous for his work on a sickness called scurvy, especially when it affected babies.
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Growing Up
Thomas Barlow grew up in Lancashire, England. His father, James Barlow, owned a cotton factory and was the Mayor of Bolton. The Barlow family was known for being very kind and generous in their village of Edgworth. They helped fund charities, including a Children's Home connected to the Methodist church.
Thomas went to college in Manchester and London. He studied medicine at University College London (UCL) and became a doctor in 1874.
A Life in Medicine
After finishing his studies, Thomas Barlow started working at Great Ormond Street Hospital. This is a famous hospital for children. He began as a "registrar," which is a doctor who is still training. Later, he became a full "physician" (doctor) and then a "consultant," which means he was an expert doctor.
From 1895 to 1907, he was a professor at UCL. He taught about children's health and later about general medicine.
Barlow's Disease
In 1883, Dr. Barlow made an important discovery. He showed that a sickness affecting babies, called "infantile scurvy," was the same as scurvy in adults. Scurvy is caused by not getting enough Vitamin C. Because of his important work, infantile scurvy is sometimes called "Barlow's disease."
Royal Doctor
Sir Thomas Barlow was a special doctor to the British royal family. He was the personal doctor for Queen Victoria and was with her when she passed away. He also served as doctor to Edward VII and King George V.
He received many honors for his work. In 1901, he was made a "Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order." This meant he could use "Sir" before his name. In 1902, he became a "Baronet," which is another special title. He was also the head of the Royal College of Physicians from 1910 to 1914.
His Family
Sir Thomas Barlow married Ada Helen Dalmahoy in 1880. They had five children together:
- Sir James Alan Noel Barlow (1881–1968)
- Sir Thomas Dalmahoy Barlow (1883–1964)
- Patrick Basil Barlow (1884–1917), who sadly died during the First World War.
- Helen Alice Dorothy Barlow (1887–1975)
- Gertrude Mary Barlow (1888–1889), who died when she was a baby.
Remembering Sir Thomas
Sir Thomas Barlow lived a long life and passed away on January 12, 1945, at the age of 99. He died in London. His important medical papers and notes are kept safe in the Wellcome Library, so people can still learn from his work today.
