Series 1 - Research activities

3.1 m of textual records, 527 scientific illustrations, 1 negative, 75 35mm slides, 37 glass lantern slides, 14 artifacts (research instruments), 8 film reels, 2 audio reels.

This series documents Jasper’s research activities, primarily from his years at the Centre de Recherches en Sciences Neurologiques at the Université de Montréal, although some material from his years at the Montreal Neurological Institute is included as well.

Files relating to conferences and symposia provide insight into Jasper’s research interests over his career, some of the major contributions he made to the field, as well as his extensive involvement in organizing and chairing events. Record types include correspondence, conference proceedings, drafts of papers submitted, and lecture notes. These materials are arranged chronologically by date of conference, 1949-1999 (Container 1, Files 1-79; Container 2, Files 80-129; Container 15, Files 403, 406, 407).The conference and symposia materials also reflect Jasper’s international influence in the research community, as well as his wide network of contacts. For example, the file relating to the 1970 International Symposium in Neuroscience in honour of H. H. Jasper contains many letters from internationally-renowned neurophysiologists and researchers (Container 1, File 48); a related item is the signature book from the same event, 1970 (Container 8, File 356).

Professional correspondence files are arranged alphabetically and chronologically within the files, 1938-1999 (Container 3, Files 130-146, 148-170; Container 4, Files 171- 180, 182-199). Again, these reflect Jasper’s extensive network in the international research community, his research activities, as well as his editorial work. Most of the correspondence is from Jasper’s time with the Université de Montréal and his subsequent retirement, however there is some earlier material relating to the Montreal Neurological Institute, specifically correspondence with Wilder Penfield, 1948-1983 (Container 4, Files 179-180), and Ted Rasmussen, 1949-1970 (Container 4, File 186). Jasper also carried out a long correspondence with friends and fellow researchers Ali and Andreé Monnier, 1938-1993 (Container 3, Files 168-170).

Subject files, which are arranged alphabetically, provide information about the many societies and organizations of which Jasper was a member and active participant. Of particular note are the files relating to the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), which Jasper helped found in 1960. He was the first Executive Secretary of IBRO, and maintained honorary positions with the organization for the rest of his life, 1958-1993 (Container 5, Files 240-242). Also included are files relating to Jasper’s
publishing and editorial activities for scientific journals. In particular, Jasper was the founding editor and publisher of the EEG Journal; layouts for the first issue, as well as correspondence, are included, 1949-1979 (Container 5, Files 233-234). Materials relating to Jasper’s publications, including drafts of published and unpublished manuscripts, research notes, and correspondence with colleagues and publishers are arranged in a block of files, 1929-1997 (Container 5, Files 280-292; Container 6, Files 5 293-332; Container 7, Files 333-341; Container 15, Files 400-401). A comprehensive list of Jasper’s publications is available, 1929-1991 (Container 5, File 280). Reprints of Jasper’s published materials up to 1977 are bound in four volumes, 1929-1977 (Container 7, Files 337-340); reprints of later publications are also available, 1979-1995 (Container 7, File 341). His army medical research, carried out during his service in WWII is collected in two volumes, 1942-1947 (Container 6, Files 329-330); publications carried out on a grant from the Medical Research Council of Canada are also collected, 1967-1972 (Container 7, File 336). There are also a number of drafts of unpublished manuscripts, including those related to learning and consciousness, 1951 (Container 6, Files 310, 312, 315, and 317), and drafts of an autobiographical piece, 1996 (Container 15, Files 400-401). Many files contain scientific illustrations and EEG recordings used in Jasper’s publications, 1951-1986 (Container 1, Files 7, 9, 12, 17, 19, and 20;
Container 2, Files 101, 104, 105, 122, 124, 126, and 127; Container 3, File 163; Container 4, Files 203 and 216; Container 5, File 261; Container 6, Files, 294, 297, 299, 300, 307, 309, 311, 314, 315, 326, and 328; and Container 8, File 352). Experiment protocol and notes, including human microelectrode and cooling studies, are found in binders, 1966-1968 (Container 6, Files 331-332, and Container 7, Files 333-335).

Also included are eight film reels, labeled as footage from experiments, and two audio reels, one of which is a recording of an EEG experiment, 37 glass lantern slides of EEG tracings and other illustrations, and instruments used for experiments.