March 2, 1938

Dear Linus:

This is in answer to your more personal letter of February 23rd. I have noticed your comments about Dr. Wrinch, which do not particularly surprise me. I will surely be much interested in the further report on this situation which you propose to send to me soon. I rather hope that you will feel justified in preparing an exposition of your own ideas of protein structure. One has, of course, to recognize the risks involved in a paper which must necessarily be somewhat speculative in nature; but it would certainly seem to me that the very substantial amount of rigorous and experimental publication which you have to your credit would, without question, bear the burden of a little speculation.

I am sorry that I have no useful information or advice to offer about Dr. Corey. It just happens that we have had no contact with him and have no information concerning his situation at the Rockefeller Institute.

When I was recently in England I talked with several men concerning a series of shifts of personnel in the organic chemistry field which are imminent there. The post of organic chemistry at King’s College has already been filled by the appointment of Bennett of Sheffield. There is another, and presumably a somewhat more important post in organic chemistry vacant at Imperial College; but there is every reasonable expectation that Heilbron will be named to this post and that he will accept. I have the impression that there is a good probability of your getting Todd. I think that Robinson has urged him to accept a good offer from Pasadena. And I think that his father-in-law, Sir Henry Dale, has similarly advised him. I rather suspect that both of these important advisers have in the back of their minds the possibility that, after he has developed somewhat further, they might hope to call him back to England for a really important post. But I have so great a confidence in the Institute, in the scientific group there, and, perhaps I should add, in the California climate, that I would be willing to trust your capacity to hold Todd, if you can once get him.

Very cordially,

Warren