Scoping study to examine and assess the contents, extent and condition of the archives of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (360G-Wellcome-095275_Z_11_Z)

The purpose of this bid is to fund an expert scoping study of the archival collections of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurology, Queen Square in order to assess their contents, extent and condition. The outcome of the scoping study will be a clear and definitive analysis of the all of the archival collections in their various formats, and a detailed set of recommendations on next steps and priorities for preservation, conservation and cataloguing. Context of the collections: The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN) has been described as the ?cradle of British neurology?. It was founded in 1860 for the alleviation initially of epilepsy and paralysis. Throughout its history, the work carried out at Queen Square has been fundamental to the development of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Neurosciences as disciplines, and the influence of the Hospital through its research, teaching and clinical practice is of international significance. Early Hospital physicians included John Hughlings Jackson (1835-1911), Sir David Ferrier (1843-1928), Sir William Gowers (1845-1911), and Sir Victor Horsley (1857-1916). The National Hospital at Queen Square was the first specialist hospital of its kind in the world. Pioneering work includes: the first hospital to appoint a dedicated neurosurgeon, first recorded successful removal of a spinal cord tumour, first hospital to have a dedicated electrical treatment room, pioneering work in physiotherapy through the school of massage and medical rubbing, and use of a gymnasium, pioneering work on art in hospitals and on the welfare of patients through entertainments, day rooms, books, music and art, first school of neurological and neurosurgical nursing in Europe, first black consultant in the UK, first appointment of a neuropathologist etc. Pioneering work in the fields of neuroscience, neuroimaging, clinical neurology and neurosurgery continue to this day. The archive collections of the NHNN include: an extensive collection of 1500 bound volumes of case notes covering the years 1863-1946 including many examples of early medical photography (a hand written index has recently been found, but is very difficult to read and in poor condition); extensive administrative records for the Hospital from 1859 ? 1946 (plus some additional material up until 1997), this includes correspondence, minutes, financial records and reports; a large collection of press cuttings; employment records for all categories of staff from 1860-1946; cine films; patient admission registers and diagnostic test results; deeds, plans and insurance documents; approximately 3000 photographs; a range of other material. With the exception of the case notes, the archives are currently stored in large locked cupboards in a corridor in the Hospital in an inaccessible and apparently random arrangement. The cine films are un-catalogued and stored in crates in the Medical Illustration and Audiovisual Services Department. The Library also contains items of historical significance, including the Rare Book Collection extending to some 3000 volumes from 1695 onwards, print journal collections dating from 1848 covering much foreign language material unique to the UK as well as English language specialist material; and an extensive collection of published and unpublished research papers including 45 items of unpublished work by John Hughlings Jackson. Also held are objects such as an anatomical model from the 1850s, some original handmade items made to raise funds to establish the Hospital, medical instruments and other artefacts. Work carried out to date: The Library, archive and museum collections have recently (June 2010) been brought together under the management of the Library. The case notes have been moved from a basement store where they had been subject to some damage, to the Library store which is secure and air-conditioned. A rough ?cupboard listing? of the contents of the archives cupboards has been carried out which enables us to provide the information above. A Library refurbishment, including a new home for the archives and a small museum has been funded by the two charities who support the work of the Hospital and the Institute: the National Hospital Developmental Foundation (NHDF) and the Brain Research Trust (BRT). The bulk of this funding was for building works but funding was set aside to begin limited cataloguing of some administrative records of the NHNN such as meeting minutes and employment records. Digitisation and cataloguing of the unpublished works of John Hughlings Jackson has also now been funded by the NHDF/BRT from their reserves. A temporary project archivist/cataloguer has been appointed on a monthly rolling contract to carry out this work. Application has also been made to become a Place of Deposit (PoD), and this has been provisionally approved subject to some work, and as an extension of the PoD of the UCLH Trust archives. Key goals and outcomes: The archives are a unique, invaluable but untapped source of information covering the medical, scientific and social story of the development of an understanding of the brain and nervous system. However, access to this resource will not be possible until they have been catalogued, re-housed, and any records at risk through deterioration (particularly the cine films) identified and conserved. With so much material, in so wide a variety of formats and coverage, and with no in-house expertise, the very limited work carried out to date on an ad-hoc basis has barely scratched the surface. The full extent and significance of the collections can at this stage only be guessed at. What is needed now is an expert overview of the archives in order to identify next steps and priorities. This will enable the making of informed decisions on which of the contents of these various cupboards and crates to catalogue to item level, which to cover at high level only, how to manage the variety and extent of the collections and where to focus future conservation efforts. The long term goal is to make details of the contents of the entire archive available to as wide as possible an audience on an on-going basis, and to share this unique and valuable resource for the benefit of all, whilst ensuring the original collections remain safe.