Dr. Theodore Dunham

Good Samaritan Hospital

Los Angeles, California

Dear Dr. Dunham:

Mrs. Dunham asked me to send you information about the papers presented by Dr. Crossley at the Dallas meeting of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Buchman of our department was at the meeting, but did not hear the papers presented. I talked with Dr. Gordon Alles, who did hear the papers, about them, learned that the papers dealt entirely with the preparation of new compounds related to sulfanilamide and that these substances have not yet been tested clinically. You can obtain further information by calling Gordon Alles at Fitzroy 4175, in Dr. Piness' laboratory.

I do not believe that any of the sulfanilamide analogs should be used therapeutic purposes at the present time. Sulfanilamide itself (prontylin) is a very valuable remedy for the treatment of streptococcus infection. The numerous deaths reported in the south from a sulfanilamide preparation seemed without doubt to have been due to the ethylene glycol used in the preparation and not to the sulfanilamide. Some people react unfavorably to sulfanilamide.

In case that you are interested in sulfanilamide analogs, I can send you further references. Dr. Alles may have abstracts of the Crossley papers.

I am sorry to learn of your illness. My wife and I send you our best wishes.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling