Rand, Professor Michael John (1927-2002)

Correspondence of Professor Michael J. Rand, pharmacologist, mainly with Prof J. H. Burn, concerning research into noradrenergic transmission, 1956-1977. The collection consists of 186 letters and some typescripts and notes. The vast majority of the letters are autograph or typescript letters from Burn to his younger Australian colleague, in some cases in the form of notes scribbled on letters from others forwarded to Rand; e.g. John Vane (no. 33), Academic Press ( (no. 50), R Coren (?) of May and Baker (no. 78), or carbons of his letters to other correspondents: to Hobbiger (no. 71), to Karl H Beyer jr (no. 122). There are however also a number of carbon copies of Rand's letters to Burn (nos. 9, 10, 14, 18, 22, 28, 44, 82, 84, 86, 124, 137, 140, 141, 143, 145, 146, 148, 150, 155, 161, 162, 167, 169, 171). There is also one carbon copy of a letter from Rand to Dr Widdecombe of the British Journal of Pharmacology (no. 87). The letters deal predominantly with mutual interests in pharmacological research, especially noradrenergic transmission, but there is also a good deal of wider interest, in particular Burn gave Rand encouragement and 'fatherly advice' on his career and more general tips on how to manage his life - 'plenty of sleep and some regular fresh air. For a mind to work at its best, it must not be tired.' (no. 120).

1956-1977, [n.d.]

1 file

The letters were found inserted into plastic sleeves and filed in a ring binder. They have been removed and placed in an acid free file, and staples and paper clips have been replaced. The basic arrangement has been retained with some minor reorganisation where items were clearly in misplaced chronological order. Nos. 1-172 constitute a chronological sequence from c. 1957 to 1977. In most cases where an item was not definitely dated a year had been noted on a post-it and has now been pencilled in within square brackets. In a few cases (nos. 51, 69, 81, 118) a tentative year has been added during listing on the basis of the letter's place within the overall chronological organisation. Nos. 173-185 are a small group of letters from Burn to Rand of no ascertainable years, but probably from some time during the 1960s. No. 186 Letter to Burn by R. K. Callow of the Medical Research Council, about hydrocortisone, 26 May 1956 No. 187 Ms notes by Burn, c. 1957 - perhaps suggestions for lines of research for Rand to pursue? No. 188 Ts by Burn 'The Sympathetic Nerves and Salivary Secretion' No. 189 Ts 'The Hypothesis of Burn & Rand' (on the release of noradrenaline by cholinergic fibres) No. 190 Ts 'from JHB' 'Anticholinesterase action of anti-adrenaline compounds' No. 191 Ms notes by Burn No. 192 Ms notes by Rand

This collection was received as a gift from Professor William Bowman, a colleague of Rand's, in March 2003.

Rand went to work with Professor (Joshua) Harold Burn (1892-1981) in Oxford in 1957 following the award of his Ph. D from the University of Sydney. He considered the two and a half years in Burn’s laboratory as one of the most formative and productive periods of his career, and their collaboration resulted in major advances in the understanding of autonomic neuro-effector function. They remained in correspondence following Rand's return to Sydney, while he was later at the London School of Pharmacy, and after his appointment as Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne, 1965.

There is a small group of Burn's own papers, GC/154. See also the papers of Sir William Paton, PP/WDP, Edith Bulbring, PP/BUL, and Marthe Vogt, PP/MLV, and the archives of the British Pharmacological Society, SA/BPS, MS 8161 Correspondence between Burn and E. Muscholl of Mainz re the Burn-Rand Hypothesis Related material held elsewhere: Correspondence and papers, 1932-1984,Oxford University: History of Neuroscience Library Reference : CSAC 107/4/85; Correspondence with AV Hill, 1935-74, Cambridge University: Churchill Archives Centre Reference : AVHL