# Dr. Fillgrave — Doctor Thorne character guide

> Dr. Fillgrave in Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Fillgrave, Doctors Fillgrave

**First appearance:** 0000-i-the-greshams-of-greshamsbury

## Snapshot

Barchester's pompous physician, jealous of his dignity and his guinea fees, who refuses to consult with Dr. Thorne and lives to regret it.

## Who they are

Dr. Fillgrave is the established physician of Barchester, backed by nearly all his brethren in the county, and a man who will not stoop to meet a country apothecary in consultation. When he declines to attend a patient alongside Dr. Thorne, the insult ignites a newspaper war in which Fillgrave, for all his supercilious bows, is carried round after round like a beaten prizefighter. He reappears at Boxall Hill to attend the dying Sir Louis, where his professional caution and lack of spirit with the bottle prove useless.

## Relationships

### [Lady Arabella de Courcy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/characters/lady_arabella_de_courcy)

_professional_

Dr. Fillgrave is Lady Arabella's preferred physician, often used to undermine Dr. Thorne's authority.

### [Lady Arabella de Courcy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/characters/lady_arabella_de_courcy)

_professional_

Dr. Fillgrave is Lady Arabella's preferred physician, often used to undermine Dr. Thorne's authority.

### [Lady Arabella de Courcy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/characters/lady_arabella_de_courcy)

_professional_

Dr. Fillgrave is Lady Arabella's preferred physician, often used to undermine Dr. Thorne's authority.

## In the story

### [Dr. Thorne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/chapters/iii-dr-thorne)

A respected Barchester physician who looks down on Dr. Thorne's unprofessional methods and low fees.

### [When Greek Meets Greek, Then Comes the Tug of War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/chapters/xii-when-greek-meets-greek-then-comes-the-tug-of-war)

Summoned to Boxall Hill, he is offended when Sir Roger refuses to see him; he rejects a fee to preserve his dignity.

### [Louis Scatcherd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/chapters/xxiv-louis-scatcherd)

Mentioned as Mr. Rerechild's friend and a rival of Dr. Thorne; he would not have come to Boxall Hill.

### [The Small End of the Wedge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/chapters/xxxi-the-small-end-of-the-wedge)

Refuses to meet Dr. Thorne professionally, citing past conduct; attends Lady Arabella but is later superseded by Sir Omicron Pie's advice.

### [The Two Doctors Change Patients](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/chapters/xl-the-two-doctors-change-patients)

Visits Sir Louis Scatcherd and finds him in the horrors of alcoholism; later dismissed by Frank Gresham on behalf of Lady Arabella.

### [The Race of Scatcherd Becomes Extinct](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/chapters/xliii-the-race-of-scatcherd-becomes-extinct)

Exchanges courtesies with Dr. Thorne after Sir Louis's death.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/characters/dr_fillgrave
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/doctor_thorne_se/characters