Letter from Linus Pauling to Ben May. June 22, 1953. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 2 pp.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• F.A.S. Newsletter with an article on the Astin case. [Filed under LP Science: Box 14.023, Folder 23.2]
• Itinerary: Workshop on General Chemistry Teaching, Pasadena [Filed under LP Travel: Box #1.001 Folder 1.10]
• Letter from Dorothy Snavely, Unitarian Service Committee, to LP RE: Discusses expenses of LP's upcoming trip to Germany, and also plans to meet in New York. [Reply from LP to Snavely June 27, 1953]. [Filed under LP Peace: Box 4.001, Folder 1.3]
• Letter from Dr. Ohki to LP RE: writes that he recently made an experiment for the retina of flog. Will send a Japanese paper to LP and asks for comments. Goes on to describe his work with retinas and his spectroscopic study of the nickel complex catalyst. [Letter from LP to Dr. Ohki February 5, 1953] [Filed under O: Correspondence 1953, Box #300, Folder #15]
• Letter from Hertz-Driv-Ur-Self Stations, Inc. to LP RE: On December 5, 1951 LP rented a car from them that was in an accident. They finally received a check from the insurance company to settle the claim, and are now refunding LP a check for $25. [Letter from Hertz Driv-Ur-Self Stations, Inc., to LP August 7, 1952] [Filed under H: Correspondence 1953, Box #166, Folder #4]
• Letter from LP to Dr. Hymin Shapiro RE: thanks him for sending the sample of bis-cyclopentadienyl iron. Says that the electron diffraction work intended for the sample has been delayed. Is interested in the liquid derivative of the sample. [Letter from Dr. Shapiro to LP April 20, 1953] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #379, Folder #1]. [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #379, Folder #1]
• Letter from LP to Dr. J. Miller RE: writes that as of yet they have not received his completed application for the A A Noyes Fellowship. However, he must say that funds for the coming year have already been allocated. They would love to have him at Caltech as a visitor. [Letter from Dr. Miller to LP April 18, 1953, letter of response from J. Miller to LP July 7, 1953].
• Letter from LP to Dr. Walter E. Macpherson RE: writes that he is unable to accept the invitation to speak at the 1954 Alumni Postgraduate Convention of the School of Medicine of the College of Medical Evangelists due to his previous acceptance of a trip to the India Science Congress at that time. [Letter from Dr. Macpherson to LP June 18, 1953, letter of response from Dr. Macpherson to LP June 23, 1953] [Filed under M: Correspondence 1953, Box #256, Folder #4]
• Letter from LP to Mr. Ben May. [Letter from Mr. Ben May to LP April 23, 1953, Mr. Ben May to LP January 26, 1954] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #244, Folder #5 (May, Ben)]

  22 June 1953

  Mr. Ben May

  P.O. Box 1186

  Mobile, Alabama

  Dear Mr. May:

  I have received clippings from you, and also your letter about the article in the New York Times on potentiators, which enhance the effectiveness of drugs and prolong their duration.

  I may say that I do not know anything about the action of these potentiators, and I am looking forward to learning more about them. It will be interesting to see how wide their range of activity is.

  I have been back in Pasadena for some time now, after my European trip (during which your letter arrived). I was invited to Brussels, to take part in the Ninth Solvay Congress in Chemistry, which was on the question of the structure of proteins. I enjoyed the trip, and got some good ideas. On 30 June my wife and I are leaving for Europe. We are to spend one month in Germany - I am being sent by the Unitarian Service Committee, to visit the medical schools in the German universities, and especially the departments of physiology. I am scheduled to give a half a dozen talks, in German, on the structure of proteins and on the nature of antibodies and serological reactions. Then we are going to Stockholm and Uppsala, to take part in the Thirteenth International Congress of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and then to Copenhagen, to attend a meeting of the Danish Chemical Society. We shall come home the end of August. We are having some trouble [sic]

  We are having some trouble now about our new building. Mr. Norman Church gave the Institute some money, for the construction of a laboratory of chemical biology, and left additional money for this purpose in his will (he died in January). However, the amount available for the construction of the building is about $1,300,000, I understand (there is some uncertainty about the amount available under the will), and the estimate of the amount required for the construction of the building and equipping it is $2,000,000 It has been suggested that only two thirds of the building be built; however, the part that would not be built is the part planned to contain the work on animal viruses - poliomyelitis, etc.- and Professor Beadle and I would regret very much if this suggestion were to be accepted. I think that I told you that we are going to occupy the building jointly - that is, the building will contain members of the Division of Chemistry, including me, and also members of the Division of Biology, including Beadle. It is our feeling that the modem attack on medical problems especially can best be made by collaboration, as intimate as possible, between chemists and biologists.

  Mr. May -2- 22/6/53

  I do not have any plans about coming to Alabama in the future, but I trust that I shall see you again one of these days. I enjoyed my talk with you in Washington.

  Sincerely yours,

  Linus Pauling:W

• Letter from R.V. Bartz to LP RE: suggests that LP join them in a meeting with people from the Shell Company, which is supporting research at Caltech with both grants and fellowships.
• Letter from Sol Zaromb to LP RE: applies for a postdoctoral position under LP's supervision. Goes on to give his work and educational experience. [Letter of response from LP to Mr. Zaromb June 30, 1953] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #468, Folder #9].
• Letter from Stafford L. Warren, M.D., Dean of U. of California Medical School to LP RE: writes that he appreciates LP's letter of recommendation for Mr. Jack Behncke. While he will not be accepted this year into the school, perhaps next year he could be. Continues with a description of his impressions of, and recommendations for, Mr. Behncke [Letter from LP to Dean Warren May 13, 1953, letter of response from LP to Dean Warren July 1, 1953, associated letter from LP to Mr. Jack Behncke July 1, 1953] [Filed under B: Correspondence 1953, Box #37, Folder #20]
• Pauling Scrapbook: Chemical and Engineering News article entitled "Leather Chemists' Knowledge of Collagen Structure Increasing" RE: reports LP's opinion that collagen has a helical structure similar to that of keratin, as he discussed at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Leather Chemists Association. [picture of LP speaking on protein structure included with article]. [Filed under: LP Biographical, Box 6.006, Folder 6.35]
• Pauling Scrapbook: Program entitled "Fourth Annual Workshop on the Teaching of General Chemistry, ACS Western Session" RE: lists LP as director of the event and lecturer on special topic. [Filed under: LP Biographical, Box 6.006, Folder 6.36]