The John Brobeck collection (SC-112) is a compilation of materials detailing the activities of a professor of physiology. The collection is largely personal correspondence and other papers he has accumulated over the years through his work-related activities and through his involvement in various organizations. The arrangement of the collection is for the most part in keeping with the order Mr. Brobeck bestowed upon it before shipment to the college.

Personal correspondence is filed alphabetically by last name. Within each file, items are found chronologically according to the dates on which they were written. In addition to lengthy letters, there are photographs, memos, and a variety of greeting cards. There is also biographical information about several of Mr. Brobeck's friends and acquaintances. The oldest material dates from the 1930s, but most is more recent. The most copious records seem to have been kept between 1950 and 1980.

Files that relate to Mr. Brobeck's activities are divided into two categories. There are those that detail his participation in organizations and activities of a secular/scientific nature and those that cover his involvement with organizations that have a religious orientation. Within each section, materials are organized alphabetically, usually by the name of a specific organization. The secular files contain a wide variety of records including reviews, letters, appraisals, photographs, and publications. Also covered here are Mr. Brobeck's visits to Taiwan and Thailand, his appearances at various conferences, his years of service on the American Physiological Society (APS) Education Committee, and his term as APS President. Examination of Mr. Brobeck's involvement in religious organizations is possible through such records as letters, clippings, publications, and the occasional photograph.

Materials that relate specifically to Wheaton College are filed separately. Most of these records pertain to Mr. Brobeck's dealings with the Board of Trustees and to his active involvement with the Alumni Association. There are letters, formal records from his years as a representative to the trustees, and clippings from the Wheaton Alumni magazine and other sources. Materials are arranged within four broad groupings: the Alumni Association, items of correspondence, trustee papers, and other miscellaneous items relating to the college. Organization within the first three sections is generally chronological; there is no order to the arrangement of the last.