# American Medical Biographies/Harrington, Charles

​Harrington, Charles (1856–1908).
Charles Harrington, hygienist of Boston, was born at Salem, Massachusetts, July 29, 1856, and died at Lynton, England, September 11, 1908. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1878 and from Harvard Medical School in 1881; during the latter part of his course in the medical school assisting Professor Edward S. Wood (q. v.) in medicolegal and toxicological investigations. For the further study of these subjects Harrington went to Germany, immediately after receiving his medical degree, and began work at Leipzig. While there he was attracted by the related subjects of hygiene and sanitary chemistry and went to Strassburg where his study under Schmeideberg determined his future career as a hygienist. After leaving Strassburg he passed a semester at Munich with von Pettenkofer.
In June, 1883, Dr. Harrington was appointed assistant in chemistry in Harvard Medical School, entered upon a practice as consulting chemist, and was employed by the Massachusetts State Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity as milk analyst for eastern Massachusetts.
On February 25, 1884, he married Martha Josephine Jones, daughter of John Coffin Jones, a Boston merchant, for some time consul at the Hawaiian Islands, and of his wife, Manuela Antonio Carillo, daughter of one of the Spanish governors of California. The union was blessed with three children, two sons and a daughter.
Dr. Harrington's appointment as assistant in chemistry at Harvard Medical School was renewed yearly until June, 1888, when he became instructor in materia medica and hygiene and a member of the medical faculty. From 1885 to 1888 he was also assistant in hygiene. In 1898 he was appointed professor of hygiene, and in 1906 was advanced to a full professorship, a position he held at the time of his death.
Mayor Hart, of Boston, appointed Dr. Harrington inspector of milk and vinegar for the city in 1889. Finding many frauds being practised by the dealers in these commodities, he devoted himself to their prosecution, and being an accurate analyst and a fearless and model witness, established for himself during the fifteen years he held the office a wide reputation as a sanitarian and an expert in hygiene. In December, 1904, he gave up his Boston office to accept the position of secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Health, filling the vacancy caused by the ​death of Dr. Samuel W. Abbott (q. v.), who died in October of that year, retaining, however, his professorship in the school.
Dr. Harrington's most noteworthy literary contributions to public sanitation and the advancement of preventive medicine were, his study of the methods of disinfection, especially of disinfection of the hands of the surgeon, his long struggle in behalf of clean milk, and his text-book, "Practical Hygiene," published by Lea Brothers of Philadelphia in 1901, the fourth edition of which he had begun just before his death, which was due to chronic myocardial disease. He was on the editorial staff of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal for several years and contributed some fifty papers to various professional journals.
In his judgment of men and affairs Dr. Harrington was very critical but instinctively just. He had a forceful personality and having positive opinions expressed them on proper occasions, his whole-souled genial manner making him a host of friends. He was a peculiarly jovial and companionable man and he had in addition an unusual development of that most happy quality, a strong sense of humor. "If I should have to say," remarked one of his comrades, "what of his many qualities made him so loved by his friends, it was his ever ready human sympathy and helpfulness. His glad hand and cheering word were always ready for others."
No better appreciation of the character and public service of Dr. Harrington can be found than that expressed by the Faculty of Medicine of Harvard University after his death: "A genial comrade, an accurate observer, a sound teacher, a wise counsellor, a fearless and incorruptible public servant, his place will long remain unfilled."
He was a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society and of many other societies and clubs, medical and social. Twice he represented the United States Government at international congresses of hygiene.