The communications series chiefly reflects the public role of Somerville as an ethicist and researcher through a mixture of personal/professional correspondence, often with colleagues, invitations to events and greeting cards.

The maquettes in this series are various sizes of three-dimensional models of organs.

The Miscellaneous Series contains a collection of items that distinguish themselves from the other series. These include copies of literary works, documents, stamps, advertisements, and the artifacts of Bergiana pertaining to the Lyric Suite. Items are arranged topically.

This series contains audio recordings of twenty interviews conducted by Dr. Helmer as well as music of George Adams. The series consists of 22 compact discs and 4 cassette tapes, for a total of 26 items.

The Concert Programmes series contains concert programmes, posters, poster design, and programme notes concerning performances of Paul Pedersen’s compositions. The series is organized by chronologically, by subject as indicated.

George Mercer Dawson's papers comprise professional, scientific and family correspondence, some scientific manuscripts, drawings and photographs of Western exploration, juvenalia, student materials, and poetry. His scientific correspondence (boxes 54-55) commences in 1872, but drops off sharply after the early 1880s. The letters, and his occasional draft replies, document the political and administrative fortunes of the Geological Survey, the North American Boundary Commission, and various learned societies. As well, they report on field research, particularly on mineral deposits, arrangements for equipment and assistants for expeditions, and the exchange of specimens. The correspondents include other members of the Survey, government officials, and business concerns, especially railways and mines. Dawson's scientific manuscripts fall into two groups: notes and reports on Western exploration, geology, mining, and Indigenous communities, 1870-1875, and 5 cm of general lectures on physical geography delivered to the Montreal Ladies' Educational Association, 1880. Closely allied to his scientific and exploratory work are an album of photographs taken in western Canada in 1894-95 (box 70), and about 10 cm of pencil sketches, sepias and watercolors of landscapes, many produced during exploratory trips in 1873-1874, and 1881 (box 59). Materials of a more personal nature include juvenalia (short essays, drawings, and two diaries from 1861 and 1865) and 16 lecture and laboratory notebooks from his student years at the Royal School of Mines, 1869-1872, together with pocket diaries, memorandum books, and notes of geological field trips during the same period (boxes 57-59). Dawson also wrote poetry, of which 10 cm of manuscript is extant (box 56), mostly reflections on states of mind, the Canadian landscape and seasons, and the vanity of human society, endeavour and love. There is also a small notebook of poems and reflections during an European trip in 1882 (box 58). Family correspondence includes 22 letters from his grandfather James Dawson, 1856-1857; 5 cm of letters from J.W. Dawson, 1856-1899; 15 cm from Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1865-1901; 3 cm from Anna Dawson Harrington, 1869-1901; 3 cm from William Bell Dawson, 1865-1899; 2 cm from Rankine Dawson, 1870-1900; and a handful of items from other members of the family.

Other papers primarily concern Dawson's geological interests, and consist of a diaries and general notebooks, 1873-1899; miscellaneous articles on geological subjects, 1887-1894; papers connected with explorations in the Yukon and with the Boundary Question between Alaska and British Territory and with sealing regulations in the Bering Sea, 1887-1897; correspondence, 1883-1898; and poems.

This series reflects the diverse contributions, that Robertson made as a physician, surgeon, and hospital administrator, as well as containing files related to Robertson’s medical training immediately following his graduation from McGill. Robertson’s time as an intern in the Pathology Department at the Montreal General Hospital is documented through photos, 1937 1938 (Container 4, File 112). Also included are orthopedic notes from the John Bruce Lectures that Robertson attended as an intern in Edinburgh, 1938-1939 (Container 4, File 92). Robertson’s wartime medical experiences are preserved through newspaper clippings, photos, and notes, in the form of a scrapbook, 1940-1943 (Container 11, File 194), and additional secondary sources, including Robertson’s chapter on wound infections in W. R. Feasby’s The Canadian Medical Services 1939 1945, Vol. II, 1953 and correspondence from the Minister of National Defence, Brooke Claxton (Container 19, Files 265 266).

His medical work in Vancouver following WWII, such as his contributions to the development of the Faculty of Medicine and Department of Surgery at the University of British Columbia and his role as first Professor and Head Surgeon is documented through correspondence files, photos, pamphlets, and ephemera, 1952-1971, 1950-1975 (Container 4, File 97, 100). Also included is information on the launch of his private practice in Vancouver, 1949 (Container 4, File 95) , as well as articles and gifts commemorating his time at Vancouver General Hospital, 1959-1990 (Container 4, File 96). Robertson’s rejection, in 1947, of McGill’s initial offer of the position of Professor of Surgery and Chairman of the Department of Surgery can be found in Container 1, File.

Robertson’s work at the Montreal General Hospital, particularly his time as Surgeon in Chief, is documented through numerous records and correspondence files, 1937-1997 (Container 4, Files 112 118, 1/119-2/119). His membership in different professional organizations, such as the Canadian Association of General Surgeons. 1985-1988 (Container 2, File 31) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, 1960-1980, 1985 (Container 5, File 121) among others, are also included, as are meetings and conferences he attended as a member of the American College of Surgeons 1950-1961 (Container 2, File 29). Of interest are the pamphlets and photos Robertson acquired as a result of his membership as part of the Surgeon’s Travel Club, 1961-1989 (Container 4, File 98). Additional correspondence files, memberships, and certificates document further medical related activities, 1958, 1974, 1962 (Container 4, Files 99, 102; (Container 4, File 36, 50), including his trip to Harvard University as Visiting Surgeon in Chief Pro Tempore, 1955-1956 (Container 4, File 104). Thank you cards and correspondence with former patients demonstrate Robertson’s skills as a physician and surgeon, particularly highlighting his superb bedside manner, 1974-1994 (Container 4, File 103).

Photos, cards, invitations, correspondence files, books, and agendas reflect Robertson’s continual involvement in the professional arena after his retirement from McGill, 1985-1986 (Container 6, File 129). His professional influence is reflected in the number of functions he attended, which included conferences, dinners, installation ceremonies, and fundraising activities, 1962-1973, 1971-1983, 1981 (Container 4, File 109-110; Container 15, File 233; Container 2, File 30). This series also includes his role as the Director of the Bell Telephone Company, 1965-1985, 1992, 1994 (Container 1, File 21) his membership and subsequent role on the Archives and Library Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1955-1999 (Container 1, Files 22 23), and special appointments, such as to the Science Council of Canada (1976-1982), 1973-1979 (Container 1, File 13) and his time as the president of the Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada (1967-1973), 1971-1973, 1974 (Container 2, File 35; Container 16, File 234), among other boards. Reports, including the “Report to the Hospital for Sick Children” in Toronto, Ontario, 1975 (Container 4, File 108) highlight Robertson’s role as a much sought after advisor, 1990-1992 (Container 1, File 10). Robertson also sat on several different scholarship committees, 1967-1989, 1986-1991 (Container 2, File 27; Container 4, 107), and he was responsible for the nomination of Dr. Brenda Milner of the Montreal Neurological Institute and McGill professor for the Order of Canada, 1982 2004 (Container 2, File 42).

This series consists of poems translated by Endre Farkas into English and French. A large portion of this translations are of a Hungarian poet named Bari Karoly, with whom Farkas was good friends.