Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories

This collection comprises only a small group of papers, largely composed of the Laboratories' annual reports, and the reports of the Entomological and Chemical Sections. Presumably, these records are extant as they were held in London, whereas papers generated and held in Khartoum relating to the internal administration and the progress of the work of the Laboratories were not transferred back to London, and do not appear to have survived.

A few letters between Balfour and HSW re management and work of TRL may be found in WA/HSW/CO/Ind/A.1.

Balfour's papers in the Wellcome Bureau of Scientific Research archive [WA/BSR/BA] include material relating to the TRL:

For files relating to the publication of the annual reports see WA/BSR/BA/Trl.

For papers relating to the Floating School Committee see WA/BSR/Isa/1.

Photographs used in the annual reports, and of the floating laboratory are at WA/PHO/Trl

The collection is divided into sections as follows:

WA/TRL/Leg Legal documents 1899-1905

WA/TRL/Rep Reports 1904-1911

WA/TRL/Pub Publications 1921-1943

WA/TRL/Pub/A Entomological Section 1921-1933

WA/TRL/Pub/B Chemical Section 1931-1943

1900

HSW visited the Sudan and as a result proposed to establish a tropical research laboratory at Khartoum,which would aim at the reduction of disease by using known preventive methods and treatments and also conduct serious scientific research into diseases of the area. HSW would equip the laboratory but the Sudan Government was to maintain it and meet staffing costs.

1903

Founded WTRL at Gordon Memorial College, Khartoum; set up by Andrew Balfour who was also appointed Chief Health Officer

c.1905

HSW appointed a member of the General Council of Gordon College

1907

Charles Wenyon seconded to WTRL from LSHTM for a year to join the floating laboratory the 'Culex' to carry research to river settlements

1908

Laboratories destroyed by fire, HSW financed their rebuilding

1913

Balfour returned to London to head the WBSR

Succeeded by:

1913-29 AJ Chalmers

1920-35 RG Archibald

1935

Sudan Government closed the laboratories

After Wellcome's death in 1936,the Wellcome Trustees decided not to support the Khartoum laboratories as the Wellcome name had been allowed to disappear (Hall and Bembridge, 1986)

Abbreviations used in the catalogue:

BMA British Medical Association

BMJ British Medical Journal

HSW Henry Solomon Wellcome

RSM Royal Society of Medicine

[W]BSR Wellcome Bureau of Scientific Research

[W]CRL Wellcome Chemical Research Laboratories

[W]EFL Wellcome Entomological Field Laboratory

[W]HMM Wellcome Historical Medical Museum

WLTM Wellcome Laboratory of Tropical Medicine

[W]MMS Wellcome Museum of Medical Science

[W]MTMH Wellcome Museum of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

[W]PRL Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories

WRI Wellcome Research Institution

[W]TRL Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratory.