Robert Black Collection
The Robert Black collection was donated to NT Health Library Services by Robert Black’s estate in 2010 through a doctor who at that time worked at Royal Darwin Hospital.
Background
The collection was formerly part of the personal library of Dr Robert Black ED BS FRACP (1917-1988), Lecturer and subsequently Professor of Tropical Medicine at the University of Sydney. He was a world authority on malaria and Professor of Tropical Medicine in the Commonwealth Institute of Health, University of Sydney from 1963 to 1982. His research and work with the World Health Organisation (WHO) was instrumental in controlling malaria in the armed forces in Australia and in developing countries. He is the only Australian to have been awarded the Darling Foundation Medal and Prize by WHO (1986).
He initially became interested in malaria during his service with the Australian Army Medical Corps in Queensland and New Guinea 1941-1946, and later focussed on its social aspects and control. He was a member of the WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Malaria 1954-1982, consulting in many parts of the world and was the only Australian ever to be awarded the Darling Medal (1985). He made extensive studies of malaria in Northern Australia and implemented a central register of malaria cases in 1969. Endemic malaria was eventually eradicated from Northern Australia and the country was certified malaria-free by the WHO in 1981.
Access to the collection
The collection is held at the Darwin Health Library and may not be borrowed. Contact Library Services to view special collection items.
What is in the Robert Black collection?
The collection consists of
486 items dating back to the 1800s
Books, journal article volume reprints, conference papers, WHO policies and reports
Material relevant to malaria and tropical medicine
Items of interest
Browse the Robert Black Collection on the Library catalogue
