H. C. Yarrow
Encyclopedia
Henry Crecy Yarrow was an American
ornithologist, herpetologist, naturalist
and surgeon
.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, studied in Pennsylvania and Geneva
, Switzerland
; earned his M.D. in 1861. From 1861 to 1862, he was the Asst. Surgeon, 5th PA Cavalry. Served in Virginia
, then appointed Acting Asst. Surgeon. Worked as the executive officer of the Broad and Cherry Street Hospital of Philadelphia. In 1866 he was appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon. Ordered to Atlanta, Georgia
. Served through a severe cholera
epidemic. Aided troops suffering from cholera on Tybee Island, near Savannah
, Georgia
. In 1867 he served at Fort Wood in New York Harbor
during a cholera
outbreak there as well as at Baltimore
, Maryland
, and North Carolina
. Met Elliott Coues
, a noted naturalist and author in 1871. It may be that Coues awakened Yarrow's interest in ornithology
.
From 1871-1876 Yarrow was on the Wheeler Survey
West of the 100th Meridian, as surgeon and naturalist. Collected in portions of Nevada
, California
, Colorado
and New Mexico
.
From 1886 to 1917 held various positions including:
Before the end of World War I promoted to Lt. Colonel, Medical Corps of the Army of the US.
named the lizard Sceloporus jarrovii for him in 1875 http://ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html#Yarrow
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ornithologist, herpetologist, naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
and surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, studied in Pennsylvania and Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
; earned his M.D. in 1861. From 1861 to 1862, he was the Asst. Surgeon, 5th PA Cavalry. Served in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, then appointed Acting Asst. Surgeon. Worked as the executive officer of the Broad and Cherry Street Hospital of Philadelphia. In 1866 he was appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon. Ordered to Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Served through a severe cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic. Aided troops suffering from cholera on Tybee Island, near Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. In 1867 he served at Fort Wood in New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
during a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
outbreak there as well as at Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Met Elliott Coues
Elliott Coues
Elliott Coues was an American army surgeon, historian, ornithologist and author.Coues was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He graduated at Columbian University, Washington, D.C., in 1861, and at the Medical school of that institution in 1863...
, a noted naturalist and author in 1871. It may be that Coues awakened Yarrow's interest in ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
.
From 1871-1876 Yarrow was on the Wheeler Survey
Wheeler Survey
The Wheeler Survey was a survey of a portion of the United States lying west of the 100th meridian. It comprised multiple expeditions, and was supervised by First Lieutenant George Montague Wheeler....
West of the 100th Meridian, as surgeon and naturalist. Collected in portions of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
From 1886 to 1917 held various positions including:
- Assistant to the commander of the model military hospital at the Centennial ExpositionCentennial ExpositionThe Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. - Worked in the Surgeon General of the United StatesSurgeon General of the United StatesThe Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government...
office, War Department and was assigned to the Section of Comparative Anatomy at the Army Medical Museum. - In charge of the Barnes Hospital, US Soldier's Home.
- Accompanied Pan American delegates on their travels in the US. Remained as a medical officer of the Pan American Congress until its adjournment.
- Appointed Professor of Dermatology at the National Medical College (Geo. Washington University Medical Department).
- Appointed a trustee of George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. - Appointed Curator of the Division of Reptiles at the US National Museum (Smithsonian).
- 1908 Joined the Medical Reserve Corps of the US Army as a First Lieutenant.
- 1917 Major, Medical Section of the Officers' Reserve Corps.
Before the end of World War I promoted to Lt. Colonel, Medical Corps of the Army of the US.
Species named for him
Edward Drinker CopeEdward Drinker Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen...
named the lizard Sceloporus jarrovii for him in 1875 http://ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html#Yarrow