Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine: 'Race' and Ethnic Issues in the Contemporary Medical Archives

Title: Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine: 'Race' and Ethnic Issues in the Contemporary Medical Archives

Description: The following resources within the Wellcome Library's Contemporary Medical Archives contain information on 'race' and ethnic issues and may be relevant to research about the history of Black and Asian people in Britain. The list is divided into three sections: records of societies and associations; personal papers; and general collections. This information is also available on the Wellcome Library web site at http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/library/homlib/sources/src49.html.

SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS:

• ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH (Ref: SA/CMO) - Correspondence and papers circulated with minutes includes items on medical arrangements for immigrants and related questions of public health administration, 1960s; and Dr G Ramage's files as the ACMOH representative on the County Councils Association Health and Welfare Committee include 2 on immigration, 1962-72.
• BEIT MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIPS (Ref: SA/BMF) - In 1945 the Deed of Foundation of this Trust which awarded fellowships for medical research was altered so that they were open to any graduate of a university within the British Empire, whether of European descent or not; file on `abolition of the colour bar of candidates', 1944, and files on individuals awarded Fellowships, from 1945.
• BRITISH SOCIAL HYGIENE COUNCIL (formerly NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR COMBATTING VENEREAL DISEASES) (Ref: SA/BSH) - This had a general concern for Imperial fitness in its activities and policies; the Port Welfare Committee in particular discussed questions to do with welfare of Indian and Colonial seamen, 1930s-40s.
• EUGENICS SOCIETY (Ref: SA/EUG) - A few files on immigration and immigrants, c. 1920s-1960s, also on inter-racial marriage, 1920, though these were not among its primary concerns. Also some files on eugenic organisations in other countries, pedigrees and other literature compiled by the American Eugenics Society and US eugenicists. Also correspondence with some individuals with strong views on `racial purity', and responses to Nazi `racial hygiene' policies. Please note that these archives are available only with the permission of the Galton Institute.
• FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION (Ref: SA/FPA) - Debate within the Association during the 1950s about providing contraception to Caribbean women in stable partnerships but not formally married. Leaflets in languages of various ethnic communities of Britain, 1960s-70s.
• MEDICAL WOMEN'S FEDERATION (Ref: SA/MWF) - One file on medical screening of Irish immigrants, 1950s.
• SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH/ SOCIETY OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE/ SOCIETY OF PUBLIC HEALTH, 1856-1997 (Ref: SA/SMO) - One file on medical examination of immigrants in section L; articles in the Society's journal Public Health covering various aspects of health amongst ethnic communities in UK; published sources (non-Society) on national health and physical fitness in section R; paper on the health needs of gypsies in the 1980s, (J.3/108)

PERSONAL PAPERS:

• Robina ADDIS - Ref: PP/ADD - Psychiatric social worker interested in transcultural issues: involved in developing community care services in Nigeria; in UK, involved in general mental health and welfare services and child guidance, adoption, etc, at a time when issues of ethnicity were becoming a topic of concern; 1960s-70s.
• CP BLACKER (General Secretary of the Eugenics Society, 1930-1952)- Ref: PP/CPB - Notes, draft and published article on `eugenic' experiments performed in German concentration camps, 1940s-50s; some writings, reviews, and correspondence deal with issues around immigration and allied topics, 1950s-60s; correspondence with JR Baker about his book on Race (1974).
• Sir Peter MEDAWAR - Ref: PP/PBM - A Trustee of the Runnymede Trust (independent research and policy agency addressing itself specifically to the development of a successful multi-ethnic society, aiming to provide information, research and advice and promote the value of diversity), 1970s-80s: correspondence and papers.
• Sir Alan Sterling PARKES - Ref: PP/ASP - Files relating to joint Galton Foundation / Biosocial Society Symposium, 1982, on the Biosocial Problems of Ethnic Minorities, 1980-1982.
• Frederick PARKES WEBER - Ref: PP/FPW* - One bundle of assorted materials on `Race climate environment occupation and bodily build in relation to Life Assurance', 1910-28; also material on genetic and other rare disorders, 1890s-1950s, includes some more frequent in particular ethnic groups.

GENERAL COLLECTIONS

• `GP consultations and concepts of illness: Asian women in Bristol' - Ref: GC/210 - Anonymised questionnaires and related material generated by this sociological study, 1986-1987.
• Sir Robert McCarrison - Ref: GC/205 - Posters illustrating the influence of different dietary practices on the physique and health generally of Indian 'races' [?1930s].

Researchers are also recommended to look at the Hospital Records Database for the records of hospitals in areas where particular communities resided. Ethnographic and ethnomedical information is also available in the Wellcome Archives, predominantly in the records of the Historical Medical Museum.

Strengths: Material covering issues of 'race' and ethnicity in Britain in the late 19th- and 20th century.

Size: 14 archival collections.

Catalogue: Wellcome Library Online Catalogue

Catalogue URL: http://library.wellcome.ac.uk/

Main URL: http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/1/lib.html

Access: Free and open to the public. ID required for a reader's card. Readers using archives and manuscripts will be expected to complete an additional undertaking, and there may also be restrictions on access to particular archive collections. Loans only via interlibrary loan, except for a small collection of 'Student Loan' books for Intercalated BSc students.

Acquisition dates: Collections dating from c.1890 onwards.

Note: Please note that the archives of the Eugenics Society (SA/EUG) are available only with the permission of the Galton Institute.

Interest: Asian, Black

Complete: Complete

Subjects

Social welfare

Medical sciences

Medical research

Immigration

Health

Ethnic groups

Personal/Corporate names

Association of County Medical Officers of Health

British Social Hygiene Council

Eugenics Society

Family Planning Association

Society of Medical Officers of Health

Places