Letter from Linus Pauling to Michael Cohen. February 28, 1957. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Contract Status Report: Contract N6onr-24423, Chemistry 25, Acct. 23607, Directors of Research: LP and Dr. Verner Schomaker, February 28, 1957. [Filed under LP Science: (Office of Naval Research: Correspondence, Contract Status Reports and Project Status Reports, 1947-1962), Box #14.031, Folder #31.9]
• Letter Hideo Murakami, Faculty of Science, Osaka University to LP RE: Sends two manuscripts that he wrote. Requests that if he thinks they are worthwhile that he send them to the National Academy of Science for publication. Notifies him that he will also be sending a third manuscript for review. [Letter from LP to Dr. Wendell Stanley April 2, 1957, Letter from LP to Dr. John Kirkwood April 2, 1957, Letter from LP to Dr. Murakami April 2, 1957, Letter from Dr. Stanley to Dr. Murakami May 15, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1957), #257.2]
• Letter from Dr. Lester M. Goldman, Director of Laboratories, Newark Beth Israel Hospital, to LP RE: Invites him to speak at the dedication of their new facility on the topics of research, human genetics, and molecular diseases. [Letter from LP to Dr. Goldman March 7, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (G: Correspondence, 1957), #141.1]
• Letter from LP to Dr. A. Hoffer, Director, Psychiatric Research, Department of Public Health, University Hospital, Saskatchewan RE: Invites him to visit the Cal Tech Labs on March 14, while he is in LA, and then join the faculty for a luncheon and a discussion. [Letter from Dr. Hoffer to LP February 12, 1957, Letter from Mrs. Wulf to Dr. Hoffer February 22, 1957, Letter from Dr. Hoffer to LP March 25, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Hoffer, Abram, 1957), #160.1]
• Letter from LP to Dr. James Gilluly, US Geological Survey RE: Expresses pleasure in reading a book he wrote with two other scientists. Notifies him of a list he made while reading of some misprints as well as suggestions for possible revisions, and encloses a copy of the list. Includes the list of suggestions. [Letter from Dr. Gilluly to LP March 9, 1957, Letter from LP to Dr. Gilluly March 12, 1957, Letter from Dr. Gilluly to LP March 24, 1957, Letter from LP to Dr. Gilluly March 27, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (G: Correspondence, 1957), #141.1]
• Letter from LP to Dr. Lowell G. Wayne, Air Pollution Control District, RE: Tells Wayne that he has received a communication from the Office of the Registrar at the University of Chicago saying that no person by the name of George H. Fisher ever matriculated in the University of Chicago. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1953-1959), Box #444, Folder #444.5]
• Letter from LP to Dr. Michael Cohen. [Letter from Dr. Cohen to LP March 5, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Correspondence, 1957), #74.25]

  28 February 1957

  Dr. Michael Cohen

  California Institute of Technology

  Dear Mike:

  Linda has told me that you have said that atomic bomb testing produces no damage whatever to human beings, that scientists should not talk in public about these matters, and that the whole question is a political one.

  Here are some statements for you to think about:

  1. The so-called "allowed limit" for radiation exposure is the amount that on the average decreases life expectancy by ten years.

  2. The radiation damage caused by bomb testing so far is roughly one thousandth of this limit. Since the effects are pretty much hit or miss, physiologically, we may say that one thousandth of the people on earth, that is three million, may expect ten years to be taken off their lives by this damage.

  3. The testing that has been done so far will in the course of time, after the materials now in the upper atmosphere have fallen down, cause radiation damage amounting to one hundredth of the allowed limit. That is, approximately thirty million people might expect to have ten years off life expectancy.

  4. The bomb tests carried out so far will cause in each future generation something like one million additional seriously defective children (feeble minded, etc.) to be born.

  5. I judge, from the statement made by Linda and attributed to you, that you do not know these facts. This seems to me to be an argument for scientists to talk.

  6. I do not see why injury to human beings is a political question.

  I should be glad to talk with you about these matters, or to answer your questions.

  Sincerely yours,

  Linus Pauling:W

• Letter from LP to Dr. Michael Szwarc, Chemistry Department at the State University of New York, RE: Tells Szwarc that he is pleased to have his letter and the reprint from NATURE. Explains that they are going through confusing changes at the California Institute of Technology and so there are no openings in which Szwarc would be interested. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Szwarc, Michael: Correspondence), Box #373, Folder #373.1]
• Letter from LP to Helma Coffin, American Association on Mental Deficiency Regional Secretary RE: Accepts the luncheon invitation and notifies her that he will soon send the requested background information. [Letter from Ms. Coffin to LP February 20, 1957] [Filed under LP Speeches: 1957s.9]
• Letter from LP to Mrs. Bert [Ellen] Lundeen RE: Thanks Lundeen for her letter and agrees that there is a relation between physical condition and mental state. [Note from Lundeen to LP February 1957] [Filed under LP Science: Orthomolecular Medicine and Mental Health: Materials re: Ford Foundation grants for the study of mental disorders, 1955-1956: Box #11.089, Folder 89.7]
• Letter from LP to Mrs. Edwin O. Grahn RE: Thanks Grahn for her letter and information. Tells her that he cannot include her son and family in his study at the present time since his research is too specialized. In the future if he begins research in her son's area of disease he will contact her. [Note from Grahn to LP February 12, 1957] [Filed under LP Science: Orthomolecular Medicine and Mental Health: Materials re: Ford Foundation grants for the study of mental disorders, 1955-1956: Box #11.089, Folder 89.7]
• Letter from LP to Paul D. Foote RE: Shares that the proposal by Henry Eyring for research on fundamental chemical reactions is in his opinion a good one. [Letter from Foote to LP February 14, 1957] [Filed under LP Science:(National Research Council, 1950-1992), Box#14.028, Folder #28.1]
• Note from LP to Self RE: Comments on the response received from his appearance with Dr. A.H. Sturtavant on the Paul Coates program in regards to atomic testing. States that the response was 100 to one in favor of stopping atomic tests. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Correspondence, 1957), #74.25]