Robert Briggs Watson (1903-1978), native of Clemson, S.C., was a physician who specialized in malaria research, parasitology, epidemiology, and public health administration. He served as a field staff member of the International Health Division of the Rockefeller Foundation from 1942-1966. The collection consists of typed diaries Watson kept during his service with the International Health Division of the Rockefeller Foundation. The diaries concern his activities related to malaria studies in Memphis, Tenn., 1942-1945. From 1946-1954 his work centered on East Asia, traveling to China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan (formally Formosa), the Philippines, Thailand (formally Siam), India, Sri Lanka (formally Ceylon), Macau, and Pakistan. From 1955-1962 Watson's work shifted to Brazil and other areas in that part of the world, traveling to Chile, Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Panama, and numerous other locations around the world. Entries dated 1963-1966 cover his work in St. Lucia, and he traveled to other areas as well. These entries also document Watson's time in Chapel Hill, N.C. where he began teaching in 1966. The diaries are a record of his daily work, together with information related to traveling and living conditions, personal and family affairs, cultural and social occasions, and current events in the countries to which he was assigned. The first four volumes, 1942-1946, are not indexed, but beginning with volume 5 in 1949 there is an index of personal names for each year. For some years there is also a chronological list of subjects, events, and travels. Copies of Watson's annual reports and occasional special reports to the Rockefeller Foundation are included in some volumes, and some of the later volumes also contain clippings and photographs.
