Correspondence, Dr. Paul Volberding, 1981-1991
Scope and Contents
The bulk of administrative records stem from Paul Volberding's office. Volberding, founder of one of the earliest AIDS Clinics and director of a program which has consistently had high media visibility, has been a well-known public figure since 1983. Thus he attracted a large volume of correspondence—from physicians with questions or referrals, Persons with AIDS (PWAs) requesting help, scientists and pharmaceutical companies wanting to collaborate, health care and educational organizations pursuing presentations, students, residents and working physicians seeking jobs or learning experiences, and an array of individuals writing with unsolicited messages. Over one third of the total collection is composed of Volberding's correspondence files. This correspondence begins in 1981 and contains information on numerous subjects. Beyond the documentation of the early history of AIDS and course of the disease, these letters also record the evolution of the clinic, scientific advances in AIDS research and treatment of its sequelae, and a host of social and political issues that materialized. The "Crank Letters" files are a particularly fascinating series that contains letters offering miraculous "cures", strange visions, and hate messages.
Another sizeable series is composed of the correspondence of Dr Constance Wofsy, a well known AIDS practitioner who was one of the first physicians in San Francisco to care for young men with severe immune dysfunction. A handful of her earliest letters pre-date the June 1981 CDC report on the newly recognized syndrome affecting gay men. Additional Wofsy files relate to her lectures, a PCP study group that met at SFGH during the mid 1980s, and the development of Project AWARE, an outreach to women with, or at risk of, HIV infection.
Correspondence from Dr. Donald Abrams can also be found in this record group, as well as administrative records documenting the activities of San Francisco General Hospital's AIDS Ward, such as meeting minutes, contract information, budget and financial information, and other AIDS related materials.
The record group is organized into nine series:
- Correspondence, Dr. Paul Volberding
- Correspondence, Lectures, and Conferences, Dr. Donald Abrams
- Correspondence, Lectures, and Activities, Dr. Constance Wofsy
- Contracts
- Budgets and Finances
- Staff Meetings
- Committees
- SFGH Ward 84 Documents
- Other AIDS Related Documents.
Dates
- Creation: 1981-1991
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English
Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
70 Folders. Carton 1, Folders 1/1-1/20 Carton 2, Folders 2/1-2/20 Carton 3, Folders 3/1-3/24 Carton 4, Folders 4/1-4/6
Repository Details
Part of the UCSF Archives and Special Collections Repository
UCSF Kalmanovitz Library
530 Parnassus Avenue
San Francisco CA 94143-0840 USA
https://www.library.ucsf.edu/archives/ask-an-archivist/