The subjects of the portraits include men distinguished in the field of medicine in Britain and Europe from the 17th to the early 19th centuries. A few portraits depict men better known for other endeavours, such as Captain James Cook, James Watt, William Wilberforce and Sir Richard Arkwright.
The collection also includes pages torn from an early-20th century illustrated volume entitled 'History of Inoculation and Vaccination', and some pages taken from journals and other publications.