Welcome to The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Digital Collections

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh can trace its roots back to the 1st of July 1505. Throughout our history, the College Library and Archive have accumulated one of the oldest and most comprehensive collections of medical documentation in the UK dating to the 15th century, comprising a medical, economic and social history invaluable not only to our understanding of the development of surgery, but also as a fascinating cultural and historical resource.

In this resource users can search and study digitised documents and photographs from our historic archive (Special Collections), as well as lists and biographical registers of every surgeon who has obtained a College qualification from our origins to 1918 (via the Surgeons Database). It will also be possible to purchase and download images of interest.

The College Library and Archive team will continue to add further collections and information to every aspect of this resource, and we welcome enquiries from users. Please see the Contact Us page to get in touch.

With thanks to UK Archiving for digitisation and TownsWeb Archiving for the provision of PastView & website design.