Medical Reminiscences

It’s sometimes easy to forget the work that went on behind the scenes for the smooth running of the Refuge. Many people offered their professional skills for free or at a reduced rate to help the charity provide for the children within their care.

Annual Report 1900

Notable names we’ve mentioned in the blog before; Andrew Boutflower worked for the Refuges as Medical Officer for 50 years from its conception in 1870. Thomas Lister Farrar, Honorary Solicitor, gave his services from the early days until his death in 1915. Other professionals included dentists and bankers. These increased in number as the services grew until there was a group of professionals each responsible for the various different homes.

Andrew Boutflower, Honorary Medical Officer

In 1920 Andrew Boutflower briefly described his work over the last 50 years in the Refuge’s Annual Report:

“Our early inmates were entirely of the slum type, half starved boys, clad in rags. After a hot-tubbing, with soft-soap applied, and the old rags burned, these unkempt, dirty, neglected children were introduced to civilisation.

On two occasions only have I had epidemics to deal with, once when I had 15 boys down with Enteric or Typhoid Fever, brought about by Ice Cream vendors who used tainted water; and fairly recently when I had 29 boys all in bed with Russian Influenza, which was caught at school. Scarlet Fever cropped up occasionally, but by prompt removal to Monsall Hospital, I have never had any trouble with it.”

The efforts of these men allowed the charity to pool all their resources into the children, rather than have to pay costly medical or legal fees. It was another sign of the great philanthropic age.