'Safari diaries' - accounts of Denis Burkitt's travels

Described as 'Safari Diaries' in an early box listing of this collection, these forty-five files comprise journal type accounts written by Denis Burkitt recording his travels in Africa and other parts of the world, mostly in the course of carrying out his medical and research work or undertaking extensive lecture tours and professional visits. The term 'safari' is used specifically for the lymphoma study trip Oct-Dec 1961 (D/1/3-5) comprising Burkitt, Edward Williams and Cliff Nelson and is used in its original Arabic meaning, safara, to travel, not in the more modern understanding and usage of word (which involves observing and wild hunting animals). Elsewhere in the series the term 'trip' or 'tour' is used (Burkitt did not label most of the documents 'safari' except where it is stated in the catalogue although many of them were thought of or referred to by Denis as safaris).

File WTI/DPB/D/1/1 and the accounts D/1/23-45 are in the form of a letters to family members or friends. Where this is the case it is stated in the file description. Burkitt mostly address them to 'Family' or 'darling' (Olive).

These are wonderfully descriptive accounts of Burkitt's travels, activities (professional and non-professional). They include his views on the places he visits and how he feels, the people he meets, views on politics in various countries, religious faith, etc. Much of historical non-medical interest can be found in the accounts, for example development of the aviation network in Africa (and Comet aircraft), political events such as the independence of Uganda in 1962 and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, conflicts occurring at the times of his visits, local customs.

Many of the trips, especially in the early to mid-1960s in Africa, are in connection with tumour research, visiting hospitals, religious mission hospitals, giving lectures and talks, meeting doctors and surgeons and pathologists, generally investigating cancer distribution in Africa notably Burkitt's lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. Many of the later trips were undertaken in response to invitations to lecture on the diseases of the Western world and the beneficial effects of dietary fibre and to receive honours and awards for his cancer research work.

1956-1976

45 files