Thomas Graham Balfour
Encyclopedia
Thomas Graham Balfour was a Scottish physician noted for his work with medical statistics.
's inner circle.
He was MD of Edinburgh; FRS, 1859; Surgeon-General, Honorary Physician to Queen Victoria and compiler of the first four volumes of Statistics of the British Army.
He along with Dr John Sutherland were secretaries to the Sanitary Section of the International Statistical Congress in 1860, which was attended by Adolphe Quetelet, and to which Florence Nightingale submitted a paper.
Balfour was born in Edinburgh
on 18 March 1813. He was son of John Balfour, a merchant of Leith
, and his wife Helen, daughter of Thomas Buchanan of Ardoch
. He was great-grandson of James Balfour, professor of moral philosophy at Edinburgh in 1754, and of Robert Whytt
, a celebrated medical writer and professor of physiology at Edinburgh. He graduated M.D.
at Edinburgh in 1834, and in 1836 entered the Army Medical Service and was immediately engaged in the production of the first four volumes of the '‘Statistics of the British Army, reputed to be the most accurate and complete of their sort throughout Europe.
From 1840 to 1848 he served as assistant surgeon in the Grenadier Guards
. In 1857 he was appointed secretary to Sidney Herbert's committee on the sanitary state of the army, and in 1859 he became deputy inspector-general in charge of the new statistical branch of the army medical department, a post which he held for fourteen years. He was elected F.R.S. on 3 June 1858 and in 1860 a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
of London. In 1887 he was appointed honorary physician to the queen. He was placed on half-pay as surgeon-general in 1876, and in his forty years of service had done much to improve the sanitary condition of the forces. He was President of the Royal Statistical Society 1888-9 shortly after it had changed from the Statistical Society of London. He married in 1856 Georgina, daughter of George Prentice of Armagh
, and had one son, Sir Graham Balfour
. He died at Coombe Lodge, Wimbledon
, on 17 Jan. 1891.
Biography
Surgeon General Dr Thomas Graham Balfour (1813–1891) was a Victorian statistician and member of Florence NightingaleFlorence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
's inner circle.
He was MD of Edinburgh; FRS, 1859; Surgeon-General, Honorary Physician to Queen Victoria and compiler of the first four volumes of Statistics of the British Army.
He along with Dr John Sutherland were secretaries to the Sanitary Section of the International Statistical Congress in 1860, which was attended by Adolphe Quetelet, and to which Florence Nightingale submitted a paper.
Balfour was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 18 March 1813. He was son of John Balfour, a merchant of Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, and his wife Helen, daughter of Thomas Buchanan of Ardoch
Ardoch
Ardoch Roman Fort is an archaeological site just outside the village of Braco in Perthshire, Scotland, about 7 miles south of Crieff. At Ardoch are the remains of a Roman fort and castra which included Ardoch Tower...
. He was great-grandson of James Balfour, professor of moral philosophy at Edinburgh in 1754, and of Robert Whytt
Robert Whytt
Robert Whytt was a Scottish physician. His work, on unconscious reflexes, tubercular meningitis, urinary bladder stones, and hysteria, is remembered now most for his book on diseases of the nervous system...
, a celebrated medical writer and professor of physiology at Edinburgh. He graduated M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
at Edinburgh in 1834, and in 1836 entered the Army Medical Service and was immediately engaged in the production of the first four volumes of the '‘Statistics of the British Army, reputed to be the most accurate and complete of their sort throughout Europe.
From 1840 to 1848 he served as assistant surgeon in the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
. In 1857 he was appointed secretary to Sidney Herbert's committee on the sanitary state of the army, and in 1859 he became deputy inspector-general in charge of the new statistical branch of the army medical department, a post which he held for fourteen years. He was elected F.R.S. on 3 June 1858 and in 1860 a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
of London. In 1887 he was appointed honorary physician to the queen. He was placed on half-pay as surgeon-general in 1876, and in his forty years of service had done much to improve the sanitary condition of the forces. He was President of the Royal Statistical Society 1888-9 shortly after it had changed from the Statistical Society of London. He married in 1856 Georgina, daughter of George Prentice of Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
, and had one son, Sir Graham Balfour
Sir Graham Balfour
Sir Graham Balfour was a noted educationalist and son of Surgeon General Thomas Graham Balfour, who worked closely with Florence Nightingale.-Biography and links with RLS:...
. He died at Coombe Lodge, Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, on 17 Jan. 1891.