The collection spans Murrell's entire career from the 1960s when he was as a medical officer and researcher in Papua New Guinea, until 1996, when his official relationship with the University of Adelaide's Faculty of Medicine ended. Murrell's early experiences, both as a student under the notable 'human ecologist' Clifford Jungfer, and as a patient suffering from poliomyelitis, were doubtless formative, and contributed to his view of general practice. Unfortunately, there is little direct evidence of these early experiences here, only the evidence of later achievement. Apart from the research series on pigbel and other enteric or intestinal infections, the strength of this collection lies in its tracing the development of the various teaching programs and facilities for the University of Adelaide's Department of Community Medicine over three decades, in the development of general practice education, and in related public health research.