BSc Lond 1867, MB BS 1873, MD 1874; MRCS Eng 1871; FRCP Lond 1880; DSc Hon Manch 1902.
Barlow was an important clinician. He is well known for his research into acute infantile rickets, which he showed to be the same disease as adult scurvy.
Barlow was born in Edgworth, Lancashire on 4 September 1845. He attended the medical school at Pine Street and Owens College, graduating in 1867. In 1871 Barlow was chosen as house physician at University College Hospital to William Jenner. In 1874, he was appointed medical registrar to the Hospital for Children Great Ormond Street, and was promoted to assistant physician the following year and then physician in 1885, before he retired from this position in 1899. Barlow also held posts at Charing Cross Hospital, London Fever Hospital and the London Hospital, before returning to University College Hospital as assistant physician in 1880. In 1885 he was promoted to physician and held this position until his retirement in 1910, when he became consulting physician.
Barlow was physician extraordinary to Queen Victoria from 1899 and also held appointments under King Edward VII and George V. He was created baronet in 1901. Barlow held the Holme chair of clinical medicine from 1895 to 1907. During his long career he was active in many medical societies. He was a fellow of the Royal Society, the President of the International Medical Congress 1913, and President of the Royal College of Physicians from 1910 to 1915. Barlow received honorary degrees from eleven universities, including Manchester. He died in London in 1945, aged 99.