General Notes

Dr. Henry R. Harrower was born on 30 April 1883 in the Islington section of London, England. His father was Robert Percy Harrower (from Broughty Ferry, Scotland), and his mother was Johanna Susan Flynn (born in India, the daughter of an Irish army officer). He was orphaned at a young age, so was raised by his grandmother Jemima Margaret (Wright) Harrower.

Dr. Henry R. Harrower was a pioneer in the study of endocrinology (the glands that produce and secrete hormones that regulate body processes such as growth and reproduction). He established the first Harrower laboratory in 1918 on the second floor of the Bank of Glendale building at 704 E. Broadway, in Glendale, California. He then established the first endocrine clinic in the United States in May 1924 on South Belmont Street in Glendale. (The labs were sold to Lambert Pharmaceutical Co., makers of Listerine, in the early 1940’s.)

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            Dr. Henry R. Harrower is the founder of The Harrower Laboratory, an institution developed nearly five years ago from an ideal of long standing into a reality.  It has become internationally known through the untiring, persistent and consistent activity of its founder in educating the medical fraternity in general practice, in regard to internal secretions and the possibility of glandular therapy.

            Dr. Harrower is a native of London, England, and was born April 30, 1883, son of Robert Percy and Susan (Flynn) Harrower.  At the age of seventeen he had received the regular schooling in the common schools, and had taken special courses at the Birkbeck Institute and at the North Polytechnic Institute, of London.  He went to Scandinavia, and for three years, in various places, made a thorough study of massage and Swedish manual movements.  Coming to America as an expert masseur he worked his way through the American Medical Missionary College, at that time connected with the famous Battle Creek Sanitarium.  After four years there he located at Chicago for a time, then returned to Europe, where he spent much time in travel, visiting many institutions of research and learning.  Returning to America he located as a general practitioner, at Kankakee, Illinois, and after a short stay, went to Chicago where he was put in charge of the research department of The Abbott Laboratories.  He was soon invited to connect with the medical department of Loyola University, Chicago, and for over two years was Professor of Clinical Diagnosis (1910-12).

            In 1912, he again went abroad, remaining for two and one-half years, where most of his time was given to the study of his special ideals and to literary work.  During this time he wrote his first large book “Practical Hormone Therapy,” which was published by Bailliere, Tindall and Cox, in London in 1914, and later in New York City upon his return to America.  After a short stay in New York City, he came to Southern California in the fall of 1915, and soon thereafter to Glendale where he has since made his home.  In 1917, he founded an association of international scope, for the study of internal secretions.  Of this he has since been the secretary.  Up to 1918, he divided his time between Glendale and Los Angeles in the practice of his profession.  In 1918, he founded The Harrower Laboratory, which has shown a rapid and remarkable growth from its inception.  Branches are maintained in New York City, Chicago, Baltimore, Kansas City, Denver, Dallas and Portland, Oregon.   A branch office has recently been established at 72 Wigmore Street, in the heart of the “medical district” of the north end of London.

            Dr. Harrower is a man of exceptional personality.  The enthusiasm that made possible the establishment and development of The Harrower Laboratory, against great odds, is apparent at all times.  It is contagious and extends, not only to his employees, but to many interested in his branch of medicine.  To many he is known as “Harrower the irrepressible.”  He is a linguist of no mean order.  This has helped him, to a remarkable degree, in fathering the data from the various sources, which have helped in the development of his work.  He is a big, vigorous man and has a big, vigorous brain-and those who know say that his heart is just as big.  He is a member of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer of the East Glendale Advancement Association, a Director of the International Exchange Club of Glendale, and his interest in civic affairs is above the ordinary, being neither niggardly about the time or money he spends in furthering the interests of his community.

            At Battle Creek, Michigan, on March 18, 1906, Dr. Harrower married Besse I. Waggoner, of Oakland, California.  Dr. and Mrs. Harrower have one daughter, Verna Irene.  They are members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  The family home is at 1510 East Broadway.


      --   From “History of Glendale and Vicinity” by John Calvin Sherer. The Glendale Publishing Company, c. 1922 F. M. Broadbooks and J. C. Sherer. p. 402-405.  A photo of Henry R. Harrower appears on page 403.

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In the Glendale News-Press (19 April 1999) on p. A1, there appeared a story by Rodney Tanaka called “Gland Man” and accompanied by a photo of a middle-aged Henry R. Harrower, MD.  It appeared in a section called “Millenium Moments,” which is focusing on “people who made major contributions to the Glendale community during the past century.”  The short article went as follows:

        Dr. Henry R. Harrower was a pioneer in the study of endocrines, the glands that produce and secrete hormones that regulate such body processes as growth and reproduction.
        He established the first Harrower laboratory in 1918 on the second floor of the Bank of Glendale building at 704 E. Broadway.
        He established the first endocrine clinic in the United States in May 1924 on South Belmont Street.  The labs were sold following Harrower’s death to Lambert Pharmaceutical Co., makers of Listerine, in the early 1940’s.

Note: the article contains a bit of misinformation since Henry died in 1953. kmh.

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Books written by Henry Harrower:

Harrower, Henry R.

(1) An Endocrine Handbook  (Publisher: Glendale, California: The Harrower Laboratory, Inc. 1939)
(2) Practical Organotherapy The Internal Secretions in General Practice  — published in several editions:

a) Publisher: (Glendale CA: The Harrower Laboratory, 1920).; Small 8vo, original cloth, 268pp. On page 254, a price list is tipped in. over 6 3/4 " - 7 3/4 " tall. 268p, incl. index; green cloth HB with black text
b) Publisher: Glendale, CA Harrower Laboratory 1920.; VG. Size=5"x7.5" Hard Cover no Dust Jacket 268pp(Index) 2nd Edition.
c) Publisher: Glendale, California: The Harrower Laboratory, 1922; Third Edition. Octovo hardcover in fine green cloth cover. 416pp
d) Publisher: London: Endocrines, 1922; Hard Cover. No Jacket. Reprint. 8vo - over 7 3/4 " - 9 3/4 " tall.  4th edition. 416pp

(3) ADVENTURES in ENDOCRINOLOGY  (Publisher: Harrower Laboratory, 1922; 159 p 17.6 cm, original cloth binding HISTORY OF ENDOCRINOLOGY: HENRY R. HARROWER 4166)

(4) Endocrine Diagnostic Charts  (Publisher: Glendale, CA: The Harrower Laboratory, 1929; Good. in No Jacket dj. 8vo-over 7 3/4 "-9 3/4 " tall 144 Pages. Interior overall nice condition. Boards have light signs of use. F F First Edition Ex-Library. Binding is H H Hard Cover)

(5) ESSAYS ON THE INTERNAL SECRETIONS 1920 COMPRISING THE WINNING CONTRIBUTIONS, WITH SOME OTHERS, TO THE FIRST ‘HARROWER PRIZE ESSAY CONTEST’  (Glendale 1921 1st Harrower Laboratory. Some of the essays in the book are: Endocrine Aspects of Obesity by J. W. Neville; A Village Doctor’s Clinic by A. Z. Hall, Thyroid Therapy in Some Infectious Diseases by Dr. J. Koopman, The Thyroid-Ovarian Syndrome by G. L. Rohdenburg, The Sphygmomanometer and the Endocrines by R. O. Butterfield, Endocriniology in Pediatrics by Hyman Goldstein; A Successful Treatment of Pernicious Enemia by Chas. A. Ellis. 8vo., 288pp., hardcover.)

(6) A Manual of Pluriglandular Therapy  (Glendale, California: The Harrower Laboratory, Inc., 1924. Manual of endocrinology and “pluriglandular therapy,” covering both fundamental principles as well as specific disease states. Written by the Director and Founder of the Harrower Laboratory. First Edition.)

(7) The Endocrines in Gynecology  (Publisher: Harrower, 1927; Hard Cover/ Black. No DJ. First.)

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Henry used to boast that he could hum and whistle two different tunes at the same time (and his grandson attests that he could do it, too!).

  Death Notes

Glendale Sanitarium & Hospital, 7:20 PM; usual residence 411 Alma Real Drive, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. Age at death 69 years.

  Burial Notes

Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Plot: Vesperland, Map 1, Lot 1947, Space 3

  Recorded Events in His Life

• He was Seventh Day Adventist.

• He worked as a medical doctor; also pharmaceutical manufacturer.

• He appeared on the 1891 UK Census on 5 April 1891 in Upper Holloway, Islington, London, England. ¹² 1891 census:
  Name:    Harrower, Henry
  Age in 1891:    7
  Relation:    Grandson
  Gender:    Male
  Where Born:    Islington, London
  
  Civil parish:    Islington
  Ecclesiastical parish:    St Peter
  Town:
  County:    London
  
  Source information:    RG12/141
  Registration district:    Islington
  Sub registration district:    Upper Holloway
  ED, institution, or vessel:    4
  Folio:    103
  Page:    19
  
  others in household:
  

Harrower, George B  37 Scotland Son  Islington  London
Harrower, Henry 7 Islington, London Grandson  Islington  London
Harrower, Jammie M 64 Scotland Head  Islington  London
Rose, Hugh C 23 Scotland Boarder  Islington  London
Tott, Mary I  19  Servant

• He appeared on the 1901 UK Census on 31 March 1901 in Upper Holloway, Islington, London, England. ¹³ Henry in the 1901 UK Census:
  
  Name:    Henry Harrower
  Age in 1901:    17
  Estimated birth year:    1884
  Relation:    Grandson
  Household:    View other family members
  Gender:    Male
  Where born:    Islington, London, England
  
  Civil parish:    Islington
  Ecclesiatical parish:    St Peter
  County/Island:    London
  Country:    England
  
  Source information:    RG13/158
  Registration district:    Islington
  Sub-registration district:    Upper Holloway
  ED, institution, or vessel:    5
  Folio:    117
  Page:    1
  Household schedule number:    3
  
  Others in household:
  

Name Age in 1901 Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish County/Island
Mary E Gibson 38  Bow, London, England Servant  Islington  London
Jessy M S Gray 33  Scotland Boarder  Islington  London
George R Harrower 46  Scotland Son  Islington  London
Henry Harrower 17  Islington, London, England Grandson  Islington  London
Jemima W Harrower 74  Scotland Head  Islington  London
Thos E Martyn 29  Liverpool, Lancashire, England Boarder  Islington  London

• He immigrated to United States in 1903. ¹⁴

• He worked as a Student in 1905 in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA. ¹⁵

• He had a residence in 1906 in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA. ⁵

• He had a residence in 1907 in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA. ¹⁶

• He traveled from Liverpool to New York on the SS Lusitania 7 September 1907 to 14 September 1907. ⁸

• He appeared on the 1910 US Federal Census on 16 April 1910 in Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. ² Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, USA (age 26)

• Fact: founded the Harrower Laboratory and Clinic, in 1918, in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA. At the clinic, Dr. Harrower tested and manufactured a variety of glandular concentrates and extracts. For some years it was Glendale’s largest business enterprise.

• He appeared on the 1920 US Federal Census on 2 January 1920 in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA. ¹⁴ Burbank Township, Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA (age 37)

• He traveled from Southhampton to New York with his family on the SS Berengaria in July 1923. ⁹ Departure:  07 July 1923; Arrival:  13 July 1923.

• He appeared on the 1930 US Federal Census on 14 April 1930 in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, USA. ¹ Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, USA (age 47)

• He appeared on the 1930 US Federal Census on 30 April 1930 in La Crescenta, Los Angeles County, California, USA. ¹ La Crescenta, Los Angeles County, California, USA (age 47)

• He resided at 411 Alma Real Drive in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA before 1953.

• He was buried at the Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Plot: Vesperland, Map 1, Lot 1947, Space 3) in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA on 5 January 1953.