Although Barlow is best known for his original researches on infantile scurvy, there is very little material relating to that subject in the collection. There are manuscript drafts of his address to the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh and his Bradshaw Lecture on infantile scurvy (BAR/E1-2), but the bulk of the clinical and scientific component of the papers relates to other matters, particularly Raynaud's disease and erythromelalgia, diseases to which Barlow turned his attention later in his career.

Among Barlow's clinical papers is a notebook recording minutes of a 'Clinical Club', 1875-77 (BAR/D.2), whose members included, apart from Barlow himself, Sidney Coupland, Rickman Godlee, William Smith Greenfield, Robert Parker, and William Allen Sturge.

Most of Barlow's private patients' records have not survived, though there is an index to his private patients' books, covering the years 1876-1918 (BAR/F.1).

Scientific and clinical matters are also discussed in Barlow's correspondence, but again this is relatively thin for the period when he was active in research. Barlow's non-family correspondence has clearly been heavily weeded: there are few letters from patients, with the exception of some prominent individuals, such as Mary Curzon, wife of Lord Curzon, Randall Davidson, archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Salisbury and Lord Selborne, and in general it seems that while letters from important or well-known figures have survived those from individuals deemed less important have been discarded. Significant numbers of letters remain however from several of Barlow's regular correspondents, such as the poet, Robert Bridges, Lord Bryce, and William Page Roberts, dean of Salisbury, as well as medical figures like Sir William Jenner and Sir James Reid.

Barlow's personal papers and family correspondence have survived in bulk and form a rich source of material for both his private and family life, and his public career. There are travel journals and sketchbooks from his earlier years, mainly documenting visits to the Continent, 1869-83; correspondence with his parents, brother, wife and children, 1852-1940, including letters written by Barlow from Balmoral, where he served as royal physician intermittently between 1897 and 1899, an eye-witness account of the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 (BAR/B.2/4), and letters and telegrams from court in 1902 during the crisis of Edward VII's appendectomy; and commonplace and scrapbooks compiled in retirement, 1920-37. Also from this period are various temperance notes and addresses.

The archive also comprises letters and papers of Barlow's parents, 1842-87; of Barlow's wife, Ada, including letters from her brother and sisters in India, 1858-80, and to her daughter Helen studying in Darmstadt, Germany, 1905-6; of Barlow's sons, Alan, Thomas and Basil, including letters from the last-named while serving on the Western Front, 1916-17; and notably of his daughter Helen, including correspondence with Archbishop and Mrs (later Lady) Davidson, 1910-35, and letters from Sir John Rose Bradford and his wife while serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps in France, 1914-19. Helen Barlow's papers also include records of three charities with which she was associated: the University College Hospital Ladies Association, 1900-50, the Southwark Boys Aid Association, 1914-36, and the Quinn Square [Southwark] Social Centre Society, c. 1935-1951. Finally there is a handful of letters to Andrew Barlow, Sir Thomas's grandson, mainly relating to articles he wrote about his grandfather, 1955-81.

The correspondence, papers and diaries of Sir Charles Blagden. Blagden's papers are interesting on several levels, generally for his close contact with European men of learning, and his relationship with Sir Joseph Banks. Blagden's professional researches are represented by medical notes in the boxed sequence. These are grouped with papers on other subject interests, including linguistics, e.g. a draft Tahitian-English dictionary, compiled from conversations with Omai, whom Blagden inoculated after Omai's voyage to England with James Cook. Blagden's interest in antiquities and travel is documented by diary entries, as is his intercourse with fellow scientists, particularly those associated with the founding of the Royal Institution.

Papers of Geoffrey Douglas Hale Carpenter, 1913-1930, comprise a travel diary which records Carpenter and his wife Amy Carpenter née Frances Thomas-Peter's experiences including trips to Uganda for his research on sleeping sickness between 1913 and 1930; diary entries documenting their day to day activities including photographs, pressed flowers, press cuttings, concert programmes and their wedding invitation.

Records, [1820s]-1984, of the Chadwick Trust. Administrative papers comprise legal papers setting up the Trust, 1890-1896; minute books, 1895-1983; annual reports, 1962-1978; lists of securities, 1914-1917; corrected booklet The Chadwick Trust, 1926-1937; script of a proposed film treatment of Sir Edwin Chadwick, 1958; signing-in book for meetings, 1972-1980. Financial papers comprise account books, 1958-1979; tax claims, 1972-1976; financial files, 1972-1980; correspondence on tax reclaimed, 1980. Papers on lectures given under the auspices of the Trust comprise announcements of lectures, 1913-1935; printed copies of lectures held under the Trust's auspices, 1930-1967, the subjects including public health and buildings, sewerage, nutrition, disease, air quality, training and public health, medical provision, and public health work overseas; other printed lectures and writings, 1896-1932, the subjects including aspects of sanitation, disease, and Sir Edwin Chadwick. Correspondence comprises general correspondence, 1913-1924, 1971-1982; correspondence of the Clerk of the Trust, 1969-1979; correspondence of G M Binnie, 1944-1980; Charity Commission correspondence, 1962-1978; correspondence relating to medals and a memorial prize, 1966-1978; Trustees, 1969-1977; receptions, meetings and lectures, 1970-1978; blue plaque, 1972-1976; costing of activities, 1974; annual reports, 1974-1979; transfer of the Trust to University College London, 1974-1984. Miscellaneous items pertaining to Edwin Chadwick, [1820s]-1889, include his diary [1820s] and patents of his inventions, 1871-1872. Other acquired papers comprise printed ephemera including circulars against inoculation [1914-1918] and undated printed extracts from a hymn on sanitation. Photographs include undated prints of Edwin Chadwick and other eminent scientists; undated slides for a lecture, including various 19th-century public figures, 19th- and 20th-century mortality rates, and various London hospitals; and photographs, 1980, of a plaque to Chadwick at his birthplace in Longsight, Greater Manchester.

The collection is divided into four main groups: The first group contains papers relating to William Clift's work as conservator of the Hunterian Museum. This is the largest of the four groups and contains a number of sub divisions such as explanation and display of specimens, expanding the collections, administration of the museum, and correspondence. This group also contains the transcripts made by Clift and others of the Hunterian manuscripts. The second group contains work carried out by William Clift as an illustrator for publications. The third group contains a small amount of personal material that is in the collection. The fourth group contains transcripts and copies of manuscript material by William Clift that is held in other repositories such as the Natural History Museum.

The vast majority of the material relates to Dent's research and clinical interests and falls into four main categories: correspondence files; files created around the publication of papers; lecture notes and symposium papers; and case/research notes. There are also smaller quantities dealing with other aspects of his career, such as the administration of UCH Metabolic Ward. The papers thus reflect most of Dent's scientific and clinical interests. This research is mainly represented by the abstracted documentation which he kept with drafts of his published papers (see section E.1) and also by correspondence about cases and clinical case notes (see section C.5). To a lesser degree they also illustrate the work at the laboratory bench which underpinned much of this research. For example, a file of unidentified paper chromatograms has been preserved (C.2/10) to illustrate one of Dent's methods of working, as described by his colleague, Heathcote, and quoted in the Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 1978: 'Paper chromatograms were not to be thrown away. They were filed and, since the colours faded, the outline of each spot was drawn in and the intensity of the colour was indicated by a number.' The way in which Dent compiled a large series of files around drafts of scientific papers also illustrates the importance of the published paper to him as a stage in the research process. An incomplete collection of reprints of Dent's published papers may be found in section E.2 of the collection.

Much of the collection is made up of diaries and notebooks relating to expeditions sent to Africa by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to study diseases such as malaria and trypanosomiasis. From Todd's subsequent career there is also material on journeys to Western Canada to study Swamp Fever in horses and to Poland to study Typhus, some general notes on tropical diseases, a laboratory notebook on experiments with fever ticks and a paper on the Congo Free State as a political unit. The dates covered are 1901-1920. A final block of material consists of letters and loose papers including sketches, covering 1890-1949.

Sir Henry Head's papers, 1891-1909, consist of his casebooks of patients with Herpes Zoster, with sketches and photographs, chiefly from Head's work at the London Hospital, 1891-1909, and his casebooks of patients with various diseases, with sketches and charts, from his work at the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Heart and Lungs, Victoria Park, 1894.

Papers of Michael Stewart Rees Hutt, 1962-1991, comprise diaries and papers relating to his work as a pathologist, largely in Uganda and notably include accounts of Uganda Safari, 1990; visit to Uganda, 1981; safari to Western Province, 1962; Uganda trip, 1967. Papers include a report on Makerere University Medical School, 1982 and a paper titled 'Geographical pathology in medical education' by Hutt and I J P A Loefler, 1969.

Papers of Edward Jenner, [1798-1819], comprising draft of his paper on cow pox, [1798]; letter to his son R F Jenner, 1819; papers including fragments of his journal and verses; letters from Jenner, [1796-1823], to various correspondents including Mr E Gardner of Frampton, including account of his inoculation of James Phipps, 1796, and to John Baron; letters to Jenner, 1801-1819, including from E Gardner, Sydney Smith; letters to John Baron, 1823-1829, including from G C Jenner.

Papers of George Macdonald consist of a diary and photograph albums of malaria eradication work in Malaysia, Singapore and Ceylon with Sir Malcolm Watson, 1937; diaries of his work in Italy and Sicily during World War Two; photographs of malaria control measures during World War Two in the Middle East, Egypt, Algiers, Crete, Sicily, Cyprus and Greece and a personnel file relating to his appointment to the Ross Institute, his overseas visits and his death.

Louisa Martindale collection, 1872-1964. The collection consists of Section A: a little personal correspondence, papers, articles, speeches and lectures by Louisa Martindale, and some personal material including notes on the glaucoma which eventually blinded her, 1872-1960; and Section B: papers concerning the Medical Women's International Association (founded 1919) of which Miss Martindale was President from 1937 to 1947. As well as her own correspondence in this capacity, 1937-1946, there is one file of the correspondence of Mme Montreuil-Strauss, Secretary of the Medical Women's International Association at his period. (Louisa Martindale destroyed the vast bulk of her case records at the time of her retirement from practice around 1950, those remaining were destroyed by her executors after her death).

Papers of Sir William Fletcher Shaw, 1906-1962, mainly relating to the history of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, including draft history of the foundation of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, drafted 1943-1946 and subsequently amended, 1943-1960; various drafts of chapters for the history; correspondence with Sir Boyd Merriman, Solicitor General, mainly concerned with the College's registration by the Board of Trade, 1929-1934; correspondence with William Blair-Bell, 1924-, with H Russell Andrews, 1926-1929, with Hempsons, Solicitors, 1926-1929, with Comyns Berkeley, 1925-1931, with Eardley Holland, 1928-1949, with J S Fairbairn, 1928-1929, with Victor Bonney, 1928-1929, with Ewen MacLean, 1926-1929, with Sir Francis Champneys, 1926-1929, with J M Munro Kerr, 1926-1945, with T W Eden, 1926-1929, with Lord Riddell, 1931-1933, with Carlton Oldfield, 1926-1929, with C G Lowry, 1927-1929, with F J McCann, 1927-1929, with AA Gemmell, 1927-1929;

papers preserved by Fletcher Shaw for their importance in the foundation of the College, including his earliest note on the subject, copies of GVS (Gynaecological Visiting Society) minutes, 1925-1927, counsel's opinion on the draft memorandum and articles of association with a copy of the draft, copies of the minutes of the Executive Committee, 1927, copies of correspondence and circular letters, 1927-1929, minutes of signatories and first full Council meeting, and other papers relating to the earliest activities of the College, 1924-1929;

typescript extracts from Fletcher Shaw's diaries including a letter to his son David (1940) explaining nature of their compilation and his wish to rival Blair-Bell's history, 1930-1943; typescript extracts from Fletcher Shaw's diary, 1930-1943,1947-1949,1953; correspondence with Sir Ewen Maclean on the presidency of Sir Eardley Holland and the early history of College, 1943-1946; minutes of Council with a few agenda and other papers, 1929-1935; draft memoirs of L C Rivett, J S Fairbairn, Russell Andrews, Sir Ewen Maclean, Sir Comyns Berkeley, Sir Eardley Holland, and Sir Francis Champneys, undated; file relating to the Standing Joint Committee of the three Royal Colleges, with later papers relating to Fletcher Shaw's account of the role of the RCS in the foundation of the College, 1942-1944; description and notes with related correspondence on the formation of a committee representing the medical profession in relation to the Beveridge Report, 1943; College's report on 'The health of women war workers from the gynaecological aspect' with associated papers and correspondence, 1942; papers relating to D W Roy and the Inter-Departmental Committee on abortion and Fletcher Shaw's later dispute with him, 1937-1938, 1940; correspondence relating to proposal to build RCOG, Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons on one common site, 1942-1943; correspondence with Sir Alfred Webb-Johnson, President, RCS, 1943-1946; personal correspondence of Shaw, 1951-1955; diary, 1938-1943;

papers relating to the College in wartime, and medical and maternity services in wartime, including the evacuation of pregnant women, 1938-1943, the College's relations with the BMA, 1938-1943, the College's relations with the RCP and RCS, 1939-1943, the appointment of gynaecologists to the armed services, Fulmer Chase Officers' Wives Maternity Hospitality, and women war workers, 1939-1943; correspondence with the Central Medical War Committee of the BMA, 1939-1941; papers and correspondence on infertility, 1944-1945;

various papers including an appeal for funds, 1932, standing orders for Council meetings, a paper on the drafting of the contentious clauses in the College's memorandum of association, Council papers relating to inter alia the Australian Regional Council, the Central Consultants and Specialists' Committee, Standing Joint Committee of the Three Royal Colleges memorandum on gynaecological cancer, and the National Birthday Trust Fund, programmes for Manchester Royal Infirmary Old Residents Club Dinners, 1910-1958; newspaper cuttings - one dated Feb 1907 re Manchester University students rowdy 'gown' debate mentioning Fletcher Shaw, the other confirming appointments at Manchester Royal Infirmary - Fletcher Shaw one of two house surgeons, c1907; copies of speeches, lectures and addresses made by Fletcher Shaw, 1938-1959; Fletcher Shaw's Memorial Service programme and transcription of address given at the service by Professor W I C Morris, 1961; obituary of Fletcher Shaw by E A Gerrard: 'The One Hundred and Second Record', 1962; copies of published gynaecological articles by Fletcher Shaw, 1906-1954.

Sir Edward Henry Sieveking's papers, 1846-1960, include his medical notebooks, with case notes, 1846-1873; Notebooks recording visits to patients, 1854-1879; Author's copy of On Epilepsy and Epileptiform Seizures, interleaved with his annotations, 1858; Diaries detailing his attendance of the Prince and Princess of Wales, 1863-1873, with related correspondence, 1886 and 1935; Chapters on 'physical organisation of the human race' by Sieveking, printed, undated; Correspondence with colleagues and family, and correspondence relating to Sieveking, 1863-1904; Papers relating to his professional appointments, such as material relating to his honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh, 1884, copies of the laws of the British Balneological and Climatological Society, undated, and St Mary's Hospital annual report, 1902; Addresses and lectures given by Sieveking, 1876-1890; Obituaries and memorials to Sieveking, including an introduction by his son, Albert Forbes Sieveking, 1904; Correspondence relating to Sieveking's papers, 1959-1960; Summary of, and commentary on, his diaries by Neville M. Goodman, c.1960; List of Sieveking's papers donated to the College, 1960; There is also a medical notebook thought to be in the hand of Alfred Robert Sieveking, which was found amongst Sieveking's papers.