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GD1/74 Penicillin, wartime distribution to civilians in Edinburgh

Collection Summary

Reference Code: GB239 GD1/74
Title: Penicillin, wartime distribution to civilians in Edinburgh
Dates of Creation of Material: 1944-1945
Level of Description: Fonds
Extent and Medium of the Unit of Description: 0.075 shelf metres: papers

Name of creator(s): Professor Sydney A. Smith (d.1969), Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Edinburgh
Administrative History: In 1944 a supply of penicillin for use in the treatment of civilians became available in Scotland, to be distributed within the divisions of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. Professor Sydney A. Smith, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Edinburgh University, was responsible for the setting up of a Committee to oversee the distribution of penicillin in Edinburgh; this Committee also consisted of Dr. W. G. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Professor J. R. Learmonth (Department of Surgery), and Professor T. J. Mackie (Department of Bacteriology). These papers relate to the distribution of penicillin to hospitals in Edinburgh, and the use thereof, particularly in Bangour Hospital, City Hospital, Leith Hospital, Princess Margaret Rose Hospital, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, and the Royal Infirmary, which were originally named as Distribution Centres of penicillin to other hospitals.
Archival History: Unknown
Immediate Source of Acquisition or Transfer: Accessioned pre-1980, no details available

Scope and Content: Papers on the use of penicillin for civilians 1944; correspondence relating to the supply of penicillin to Edinburgh hospitals 1944-1945; requests for supplies of penicillin 1944-1945; correspondence relating to returns of use of penicillin 1945; correspondence relating to supplies of sub-standard penicillin 1945; correspondence relating to increased supplies of penicillin 1945; penicillin treatment record forms 1944-1945
Accruals: No further accessions are expected
System of Arrangement: Chronological within record class

Conditions Governing Access: Public access to these records is governed by UK data protection legislation, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, and the current Scottish Government Records Management: NHS Code of Practice (Scotland).
Conditions Governing Reproduction: Reproduction is subject to closure periods and physical condition
Language/Scripts of Material: English

Archivists' Notes: Compiled by Mike Barfoot and Jenny McDermott using existing handlists
Rules or Conventions: Description based on ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description International Council on Archives (2nd edition), 2000
Date(s) of Description: May 2000; revised June 2002