The collection contains private records and papers relating to the medical and teaching career of Maude Abbott. It consists in large part of correspondence, 1894-1920, including family correspondence with, among others, her sister Alice Abbott, 1904-1919, and her brother Rev. Harry M. Babin, 1916-1920. Also included are manuscripts and drafts of articles and addresses; case reports; post-mortem records; glass slides and drawings; exhibit panels largely pertaining to her research on congenital heart disease; programmes of medical meetings, 1902-1937; reprints and papers relating to the history of medicine in Montreal and Quebec, as well as to the history of McGill, 1829-1936. In addition, there are photographs, some poems, an autobiographical sketch and a printed copy of her Classified and Annotated Bibliography of Sir William Osler's Publications, 1939, with corrections and annotations by W. W. Francis. Fonds also includes a draft of Abbott's letter to the Dean of Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, regarding admission (1889).

The series consists of professional correspondence, including both incoming and outgoing letters to Abbott and sent by her. Many letters discuss specific cases and autopsies. Letters are often accompanied by reprints, notes, electrocardiograms, and photographs.

File consists of 11 letters, including outgoing letters from Abbott and incoming letters from correspondents. Letters are arranged alphabetically. File also includes 12 pages of handwritten bibliographic references.

Requesting a reprint and the presence of Abbott in Philadelphia at a clinic Ash is presenting.

“Recently a congenital anomaly found at autopsy was described to me. Since the heart was not removed I can only describe the findings. The infant which was cyanotic at birth, breathed with great difficulty and died within twenty-four hours with signs of cardiac failure. At autopsy the heart muscle was congested and the heart itself was moderately dilated…the only abnormal finding was in the pulmonary artery where above each sinus of valsalva there was a long narrow slit extending cleanly through the wall of the pulmonary artery…”

“I know of no instance in which such slit-like openings have been observed in the pulmonary artery in this situation. The first idea that
presents itself is this might be artifacts produced accidentally…”

“I recently had a case of right-sided arch of the aorta with esophageal obstruction. I found a case in the German literature, which seems identical with my case, in which the obstruction was apparently due to the right subclavian artery passing behind the esophagus. Have you any cases in your museum which illustrate this point?”