This series contains H. Rocke Robertson’s speeches which document his role as the Principal of McGill, 1963 1970 (Container 8, Files 161, 164, 175); his medical experience during WWII and his subsequent surgical and medical expertise, 1945 1971 (Container 8, Files 155, 157), including such speeches as that delivered to the Vancouver Medical Association on the Activities of a F eld Surgical Uni , 1945 (Container 8, File 158); and the Shattuck Lectures delivered in Massachusetts in 1965 (Container 1, File 19), in which Robertson reflects on noteworthy medical cases that he encountered during his career while simultaneously commenting o his failure to develop innovative surgical techniques. Graphic medical photos accompany the speech. Following his retirement, Robertson was frequently called upon to give public addresses such as that delivered at a nurse’s graduation at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, 1971 (Container 4, File 82) and at the Montreal General Hospital Dinner on October 12, 1989 (Container 4, File 113), in which he reflects on his time studying pathology under Dr. Pop Rhea.

Robertson’s interest in the history of medicine is apparent in the speeches he delivered to both the Osler Society, 1947 1958 Container 8, File 156) and the American Osler Society in 1991. The later, entitled “William Osler and the OED”, includes slides and booklets, as well as offering a hypothesis on Osler’s possible medical word contributions to the Oxford English Dictionary, 1991 (Container 8, File 160). The Osler speeches cover such diverse topics as Robertson’s reminiscences on war surgery, including detailed descriptions of the effects of missiles (bullets) passing through the body, the effects of gas gangrene, and Robertson’s feelings on his first experience using the new drug, penicillin (Container 8, File 156). Also included is a speech Robertson delivered about Osler’s trip to British Columbia in 1886 and the development of the practice of medicine in the province, 1947 1958 (Container 8, File 156), which highlights Robertson’s skills as an orator.

Numerous speeches reflect Robertson’s duties as principal of McGill University, including his installation address on April 2, 1963 in which he comments on the achievements of past McGill principals, as well as elucidating his own plans for improving relations between English and French Canada through improved education at McGill (Container 8, File 161). Also included are Robertson’s graduation addresses 1962-1992 (Container 3, File 67) and the bound volumes Addresses and Other Papers: H.
Rocke Robertson, 1963 1970 (Container 19, Files 257-264), which contain Robertson’s speeches during his principalship at McGill.

Correspondence files and speech notes reflect Robertson’s activities as a collector of rare books and English dictionaries, 1960 1991 (Container 8, File 163 . Also preserved is his speech for the reception of his dictionary collection at the University of British Columbia, 1990 (Container, File 40) and a series of pamphlets and newspaper clippings on conferences, where Robertson was a uest speaker 1971 1983, 1972 1973, 1971 1973, 1977 (Container 15, File 233; Container 2, File 32, 35; Container 8, File 162).

This series documents Robertson’s contributions to the medical field through articles and reports on such diverse topics as wounds and infection and surgical techniques, 1953, 1958, 1963 1964, 1974, 1981 Container 2, File 47, 49, 51, 56 Container 2, File 59 ), trauma care, including one VHS cassette 1962 1996 (Container 1, File 11), the state ofthe Canadian Health Care System, 1972 1973 (Container 2, Files 52 53), and the effects on human health of lead in the environment, 1974 (Container 2, File 54; Container 5, File
123 . In particular, Robertson made significant contributions towards the efficiency of hospital operating systems, to the treatment of wounds, and to gastrointestinal surgery, especially duodenal ulcers and to vascular surgery, with an emphasis on venous thromboembolism and arterial replacement, 1954, 1957, 1962, 1960 1962 Container 2, Files 46, 48, 50; Container 4, File 106). Robertson’s publications include: The Emergency Care Project Books I and II, 1973 1974 (Container 16, Files 236 237), Health Care in Canada: A Commentary, 1973 (Container 5, File 120; Container 16, File 239) and Health Care in Canada: Supplementary Papers, 1973 (Container 16, File 240). This series also contains the article, entitled “Ten Years After”, published in the McGill Journal of Education, which reflect on Robertson’s principalship at McGill, 1978 1980, 1980 Container 2, File 57; Container 5, File 122 .

Newspaper articles, correspondence files, published and unpublished publications, and descriptions of visits to libraries worldwide demonstrate Robertson’s diverse personal interests, particularly his passion for rare English dictionaries 1963 1992 1946 1993, 1966 1986 (Container 6, Files 176 188; Container 8, Files 145 147, 149 152, 172) as well as his interest in literature and rare books, which includes a book of hand written literary quotes 1967 1991 (Container 15, Files 1/225 2/225), as well as efforts to imitate
the literary style of Lyttleton Hart Davis in a letter to his brother, Bruce Robertson, 1989 1994 (Container 4, File 82). This file also includes two of Robertson’s creative writing endeavours, entitled “Silly Boy” and “The Paymaster, or the Artful Dodger”. This series also contains Robertson’s and his grandson’s A Collection of Dictionaries and Related Works, Volumes 1 and 2, 1987 (Container 16, Files 1/235 2/235).

Robertson’s interest in the history of medicine is documented, in particular, through his correspondence with Joyce He slow, ormer Professor of English at McGill University, in which she discusses the Fanny Burney Papers, 1963 1976 (Container 8, File 169) as well as through additional correspondence and articles, 1993 1997, 1976 1984 (Container 8 , Files 170 171). Burney’s first person account of undergoing surgery without anesthesia is later incorporated into one of Robertson’s article on the history of medicine entitled, “Without Benefit of Anesthesia” (Container 8, File 146) which also addresses George Wilson’s anaesthetized amputation during the nineteenth century Further indications of this interest include Robertson’s annotation of the Archibald and Archibald McCrae Correspondence for the Osler Library 1976 (Container 8, Files 154, 159