The fonds contains original and typescript letters, manuscript notes, newspaper clippings, journal extracts, reminiscences and more, assembled by Harvey Cushing chiefly between 1920 and 1924 during the course of his research for the biography of William Osler. For the biography, Cushing collected and retyped over 7500 pieces of Osler's correspondence, among which are some original letters.

The fonds is separated into three series: Manuscripts, Working Notes and Osler's Correspondence. It also contains photographs, annual reports, publications, clippings, one watercolor painting, one postcard. Osler's correspondence is further arranged in three subseries based chronologically.

Letter to Harvey Cushing from C.T. Flower, Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, W.C.2., England. Flower informs Cushing that the records of the Almshouses at Ewelme are described in Appendices to the Eight (1881) and Ninth (1883) Reports of the Historical Manuscripts Commissions. Flower is certain that Osler knew of these records when he put his Muniment Room in order in 1906.

Letter to Harvey Cushing from W. Lucy & Co., Ltd., Mechanical & Electrical Engineers and Ironfounders, Oxford, England. Enclosed is a copy of the Bodleian Library Booklet that Cushing had requested. [See CUS417/3.3]

Letter to Harvey Cushing from Harry Paintin, 14, Regent Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. Paintin will send Cushing a copy of his article on Ewelme. [For article, see CUS417/11.2]

Letter to Henry R. Viets from Harvey Cushing, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, 721 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Part of letter to Viets asking him to clarify details from a series of letters written to him by Osler. Additional notes by Viets.

Letter to Harvey Cushing from Harry Paintin, 14, Regent Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. Paintin sends Cushing, J. Allen Shuffrey's drawing of Ewelme, but he has not been able to secure Mr. Howard's photographs. He writes of the visit of the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society to Ewelme on October 18, 1909. During the visit, Osler, the Master of the Hospital, treated the party to tea on the Rectory Lawn and spoke of the "gentle Duchess" of Suffolk, Alice Chaucer. Paintin writes of a humorous incident involving George Randell Higgins and Osler.

Letter to Harvey Cushing from J. Allen Shuffrey, Broadway, St. Margaret's Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. Shuffrey has received Cushing's cheque for his drawing of Ewelme. He has several more drawings of Oxford and would be happy to sell them to Cushing should he need them.