Malcolm Smith's Family History Archive

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Biography of

Harold  Norman  SWINNERTON

[Ref. R.18]

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Biography

Medical 2

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Ringworm - One day at school, Norman put on another boy's cap by mistake and caught ringworm which was not noticed for some time as he had thick hair. He was given cream to cure it but there was no improvement after six months. Consequently he became badly infected and was taken to hospital by his aunt Sally where his hair was cut off and he was strapped to a table and given x-ray treatment. This was a fairly new process at that time and the exposure had to be timed carefully. As it was, the Grand National race was being run that day and Sally was interested in horse racing so she and the nurse went off to listen to it on the radio. It was the first year that the race had been broadcast and they got involved, fogetting about Norman and consequently he received too much exposure. He was told the hair would grow back and it did not seem to have been a problem at the time but his hair never grew back properly so he was effectively bald. That led to Norman being teased at school but to counteract it he tried harder at sports, football and athletice in particular, excelling in both thus silencing the teasers. His mother told him that "difficulties strengthen the mind just as labour strengthens the body" and it seems that Norman took that approach.

Poisoned foot - When he was 11 or 12 years old, Norman trod on a rose thorn and the wound turned septic and his foot went black. The doctor came to the house and sent him straight to hospital where he was taken immediately to theatrethe wound was pierced to drain out the ooze. There was a danger that his foot may have had to be amputated. When he was recovering he was confined for several weeks to basket type wheelchair with a long steering handle and his friends would take him out and push him down a slope in the local park.

Pierced eardrums - Norman was having a problem with earwax so was taken for treatment. The nurse was not too careful and punctured both eardrums which, although they healed over, retained scar tissue. That was to prevent him from his ambition of becoming a pilot in the RAF during World War 2.