Very few of the McLeod papers actually concern the Observatory. However, his work for the railways and in Newfoundland is documented, as are his views on the education and employment of engineers. The basic record for the early part of his career is a diary kept from 1870 to 1875, regarding student days and early work on the Observatory. An essay, "Winter under canvas" (1868) describes an early surveying job, and a letter from his father (1872) inquires about his academic progress. His work for the railways is documented by three letters of recommendation, and two letters (one from Stanford Fleming) on the work of his colleagues in the West. The Newfoundland survey (1875) is described in McLeod's diary, a manuscript essay "Across Newfoundland" (1876), his printed reports and three letters. His work at McGill is represented by six letters (largely official acknowledgements of appointments), and McLeod's manuscript notes on McGill history. McLeod's concern with the engineering profession is reflected in two addresses on education and professional development, and copies of about a dozen letters to Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1906-1908), C.A. McGrath and E.F. Wurtele (1912), largely on the employment of engineers in the civil service.

Fonds contains copies of two essays, “My Life as a Student and Teacher at McGill: 1934-1974 (1974)”, and “Innovation and Personal Strategies: A Study of Work in a New Outpatient Clinic”, co-authored with Anita Heller (1976).

The bulk of Girdwood's papers concern his work in forensic medicine. Other materials cover his research in photography, and his general medical and scientific interests. Girdwood's career as medical-legal consultant is documented by 24 cm of his notes and reports, together with some correspondence, on four poisoning trials: People vs Emma Davis (Malone, N.Y., 1881), Queen vs Provencher and Boisclair (Sorel, 1867), Queen vs Joseph Ruel (St. Hyacinthe, 1868), and Queen vs David Prevost and Damase Brunet (L'Orignal, 1881). There are also coroner's autopsy reports and notes for four cases; Girdwood's memoires of ten cases on which he served as consultant; Rogers and Girdwood's submission to the Home Office, London, on the strychnine test, together with letters to Lancet and the Times on the same subject; and notes on the counterfeiting of stamps (1893). His interest in medical photography is reflected in lists of X-rays taken by him (1898-1899) and reprints of three articles. His general scientific and medical activities are represented by a scrapbook of newsclippings on cholera (1854), a lecture on gold presented to the Natural History Society of Montréal (n.d.), essays on strychnine (1864) and water filtration (1869), a review of a textbook in physiology (1864) and some reprints, including convocation addresses to the Medical Faculty. Finally, there is a manuscript copy of an address to the graduating class of Applied Science in 1881 and a small scrapbook of printed articles by Girdwood's father, G.F. Girdwood, M.D.

The Files papers document his activities as administrator of the Humanities Group and the English Department (ca 1946-1956, with some earlier material) and as a teacher. Administrative materials comprise about 1.5 m of information and correspondence files concerning the business of Senate, the Faculties of Arts and Science and Graduate Studies, the Humanities Group of the Arts Faculty, and the English Department. English Department material forms the largest part of the papers with files on honours and graduate students (including sessional registration forms), reading lists, examinations, awards, job applications, examination of theses, the administration of Moyse Hall, freshman orientation, and personal as well as general correspondence. There are also files pertaining to Files' work for the Montreal branch of the Humanities Association of Canada. Teaching materials consist of a large number of student essays, stories, examination papers and poems, including some by Louis Dudek and Irving Layton, ca 1937-1950. From Files' student days come lecture notes on the history of English language, 1921. There are also approximately 25 reprints of articles by Files' acquaintances and colleagues and copies of some journal and newspaper articles by and about Files.

About half of Donald's papers consist of diaries giving brief daily records of his professional and sometimes personal activities from 1918 to 1981. The remaining files fall into two series. Essays and addresses, 1919-1962, largely on economic aspects of the chemical industry, were addressed to professional organizations and commercial bodies such as the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Canadian Chemical Association, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the Industrial Development Board of Manitoba. More informal speeches include a radio talk on jobs in the chemical industry, 1938. Personal materials comprise some family, legal and investment records, 1940-1952, and undergraduate essay on medieval universities, 1910, correspondence related to an annuity fund set up by Donald for Jessie Henderson, secretary and librarian of McGill's Chemistry Department (1946-1961), and a file of press releases and congratulatory letters on Donald's receipt of the Chemical Industry Medal, 1952-1953.

Paper entitled "Analysis and Discussion of the Incidence of Death Among the English Population of Montreal from the years 1869-1873", written for a history course in 1976.

Original essay on "Ophthalmology at McGill University", 1965.

This file contains a copy of a photograph of the 1923 McGill hockey team taken after a 2-0 victory against Harvard with accompanying letter (21 December 1923); invitation addressed to Mr. Rankin for a Conversazione held to celebrate the opening of the new Engineering and Physics Buildings (24 February 1893); and a booklet "McGill Medical Milestones" by Edward H. Bensley (1986).

This file contains textual material related to Sir Wilfrid Laurier centenary. Includes essay "Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Lord Minto" by H. Pearson Gundy, a letter to Dr. Lomer, and a speech "Address to be given by Honourable C.G. Power, Minister of National Defence for Air, at McGill University."

This file contains a bound offprint of "The rights and duties of science" by J.W. Dawson from the Princeton Review. A note on the cover reads, "Tr. no. 4, vol. 19."