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.

Fonds shows Herbert Frederick Moseley's relations with his editor for his book "Shoulder Lesions". It contains an original manuscript with the publisher's annotations for the 1945 edition and another complete copy.

The collection consists of documents pertaining to Dr. H. S. Birkett's medical activities, including 117 bound volumes of patient records (1889-1942), medical notebooks (1893-1896), bound RVH reports (1894-1938), RVH charts (1901-1920) and registers (1899-1917). There are also various letters addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Birkett, a manuscript, newspaper clippings, various degrees and medical association certificates, as well as photographs of H. S. Birkett's personal life and professional life at McGill and elsewhere. The collection also includes various artifacts collected by H. S. B, including military and medical memorabilia collected by H. S. Birkett.

Fonds consists of manuscripts and typescripts of articles and lectures on literary topics. A few items reflect Walter’s interest in drama and his private life.

The literary addresses and articles fall into three subject-areas: German, French, and Indian. A series of lectures to the Montréal Goethe Society (1932, 1933, 1935, 1936) discusses Goethe's biography, his attitudes to music, and his dramatic works. Goethe is also the subject of a McGill lecture (1906) and an article for the University of Toronto Quarterly. In other lecture series, Walter treated Ibsen and the 20th century German novel (1936); as well, shorter studies of Adolf Schafheitlin, Superman in German literature, German bibliography, and an address to Shaar Hashamayim regarding the political conditions in Germany in 1933 can be found here. Addresses delivered to the McGill Cercle Français and to the University of Toronto discuss French phonetics, neologisms, symbolist literature, German universities, and Paul Lemaître. Walter's interest in Oriental civilization is reflected in a series of four lectures on Indian philosophy, religion and literature (1949) and an address on Yogis. His work as a book reviewer and drama critic is revealed by a file of clippings and typescripts.

Walter's 1936 production at McGill of von Kotzebue's “Die deutschen Kleinstadten” is documented by his annotated copy of the script and a scene design. This and other dramatic productions are the subject of photographs and newsclippings in a biographical scrapbook. The scrapbook also contains testimonials to Walter and clippings of articles by and about his literary activities, and about a case of alleged attempted poisoning at which he was the plaintiff.

Fonds documents Dr. H.E. MacDermot's medical-historical activities. The fonds contains newspaper clippings, manuscript notes, photographs, lectures notes, and a draft of The MGH, the Years of Change.

This material features a small amount of medical papers: a manuscript of Bell's address on the subject of nursing training to the Alumnae Association of the R.V.H. School for Nurses, 1910; a letter introducing Bell to Dr. Viktor Hueter of Marburg, Germany, from Francis Shepherd, 1891; and a laboratory report to Bell from R.F. Ruttan, on kidney stones, 1900. Bell's map of the Riel Rebellion, 1885, is also included. A series of five lectures and papers on intestinal ailments, syphilis, rodent ulcer of the face, cancer of the larynx and kidney disease is supplemented by 19 case reports, 1896-1907, 7 of patients whose primary symptom was abdominal pain, and 12 suffering from sore or swollen throat. The remainder of the papers consist almost entirely of obituary notices, newsclippings and resolutions in memory of Bell and about half a dozen lettes of sympathy, including one from Sir William Osler.

Fonds contains a manuscript, entitled "Remarks on the Osteology of Alexander Monro by himself", written by Dr. John George Bethune who transcribed an old damaged manuscript found in a trunk in the garret of the steam factory of Bethune's father in August 1848. The damaged manuscript was, according to Bethune, from one of three famous physicians, three successive generations of an Edinburgh family, who all bore the name Alexander Monro.

Gould's papers fall into two series. Family correspondence covers the years 1856 to 1860, when Joseph and his brother Charles were travelling in Europe, and consists of letters home from both young men, and their parents' replies. Manuscript music comprises two volumes of church anthems, with some organ music; some are original compositions by Gould and Samuel Warren. Related to this is Gould's brief manuscript account of the origin of the Mendelssohn Choir. Some family photographs are also included.

The fonds documents Judith Fitzgerald’s personal and professional activities as a journalist, poet, and country music enthusiast, put together by Fitzgerald herself, documenting her work from the years 1965 to 1995. The majority of the records consists of research about individuals and musical acts, as well as other work-related projects that Fitzgerald was involved in. These include notes, drafts, and published work written by Fitzgerald, as well as various publications that she collected about the subjects and projects she worked on. The fonds also notably includes Fitzgerald’s creative work, including notes, drafts, manuscripts, and copies of her published books of poetry. Other materials include correspondence between Fitzgerald and friends, publishers, and individuals and institutions that she covered in her research. In addition, the fonds includes some financial records and personal records relating to Fitzgerald’s day-to-day activities and significant events in her life. These records include her marriage certificate, scrapbooks containing collected publications on herself, and notes on her autobiography.

The fonds documents Ken Norris’s academic, professional and personal activities and career as an English literature teacher, Canadian writer and poet. There are also materials related to his university student life in Montreal. The records contains a wide variety of personal and professional correspondence between 1972-1990 with correspondents such as Endre Farkas, Margaret Atwood, Leonard Cohen, David McFadden, Cynthia Lapp, George Bowering, and James Polk. Manuscripts and notebooks document his writing activities and include rough drafts, edited drafts, final drafts, completed manuscripts, as well as published books, articles and his academic dissertations.