Letter from Linus Pauling to Don C. McMillan. December 17, 1957. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Check from AHP to F.C.L. for $10.00. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Bank Statements and Canceled Checks, December 1957-December 1959), Box #4.025, Folder #25.1]
• Check from AHP to Helene Bourchis for $8.75. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Bank Statements and Canceled Checks, December 1957-December 1959), Box #4.025, Folder #25.1]
• Letter from Chester B. Martin, Jr., Undergraduate Medical Association, University of Pennsylvania, to LP RE: UMA invites LP to address its 50th Annual program of student research presentations, which has tentatively been scheduled for April 10, 11, or 18. Since the Federation meeting is in Philadelphia April 14-18, they were hoping that LP would be in the east during this time. [Letter from Beatrice Wulf to Chester B. Martin Jr. February 13, 1958] [Filed under LP Speeches: 1958s.16]
• Letter from Don C. McMillan, City Manager, Pasadena to LP RE: Sends him a copy of the report from the city engineer and states he agrees with the conclusions made in the report. [Letter from Douglas Mackenzie to Mr. McMillan March 28, 1957, Letter from LP to Mr. McMillan December 17, 1957, Letter from LP to Mr. McMillan December 23, 1957, Memo from LP to Barclay Ray December 23, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1957), #257.2]
• Letter from LP to Dr. Henry W. Kumm, The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, Inc. RE: Looks forward to seeing both Kumm and Dr. Dalldorf in January. [Letter from Kumm to LP December 19, 1957] [Filed under LP Science: (National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, 1948, 1957-1958), Box #14.025, Folder #25.1]
• Letter from LP to Dr. P.J. Merkus, Shell Fellowship Committee of the Shell Companies Foundation, Inc RE: Thanks him for the atlas, stating that he loves maps and travels a good deal so it is very appreciated. [Letter from Dr. Merkus to LP December 16, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1957), #257.2]
• Letter from LP to Gentlemen at P.A. Norstedt and Söner RE: Apologizes for the delay in payment, stating there was a mix-up in their understanding of the cost. Encloses a check for the other four copies of (Les Prix Nobel in 1954" and hopes that the payment has now been made in full. [Letter from P.A. Norstedt and Söner to CIT November 22, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (N: Correspondence, 1957), #288.1]
• Letter from LP to K.V. Sane RE: Suggests that he obtain his Ph.D. in India and then plan to come to the US after that. [Letter from Mr. Sane to LP December 6, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (S: Correspondence, 1957), #380.1]
• Letter from LP to Linus Pauling, Jr. [Filed under LP Biographical: Box #5.038, Folder #38.1]

  19 December 1957

  Dear Linus and Anita:

  Under separate cover I am sending you a Christmas present-it is being sent by surface transportation (boat) and may well not reach you until after Christmas, but it should be there within a day or two after Christmas, in any case.

  The present is a set of three motion pictures, each of them taking 50 minutes for presentation. The three together constitute a set of three lectures on valence and molecular structure. The films were made in our laboratory, with the support of a grant from the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation made a number of sets of prints, which were then made available during the summer of 1957, to the various summer institutes for teachers of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. I do not know how many sets of prints were made, nor how many different summer institutes made use of them. There were about 100 of these summer institutes held in 1957. One teacher told me that he had attended the summer institute in Berkeley, together with 200 other teachers, and that these three films were presented one on each of three succeeding afternoons. He said that about 100 teachers attended each of the three showings.

  The National Science Foundation gave me two sets, and I have decided to give one set to you. Perhaps the chemistry department at the University of Hawaii would like to borrow them from you sometime, for a showing.

  The California Institute of Technology also has two sets, and I am planning to show the films sometime this term, in place of three of my lectures to the freshmen.

  There is the possibility that the sound track on one or more of your films is not good enough. I had planned to go through the prints before sending them to you, but it has turned out that I have been too busy to do so. However, if the sound track is not good enough, please return the film to me, and I shall see if the National Science Foundation will replace it with a better one.

  Mama has been very busy recently getting ready for Christmas. I have been busy too with many activities. Tonight I am to fly to New York, for a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation, a foundation that supports fellows working in the field of arthritis, rheumatic fever, and related diseases, and in scientific fields that have some connection to these diseases. I shall come back home day after tomorrow.

  Crellin and Lucy and Cheryl are spending this week at the ranch, on their way from Portland to Pasadena. Crellin is making some drawings for a new edition of THE NATURE OF THE CHEMICAL BOND, and I trust that he is hard at work up there. I think that we shall go to the ranch a day or two after Christmas, and stay for about a week. I am to speak at the Y.M.C.A. meeting of high school students at Asilomar on Saturday 28 December. Asilomar is between Carmel and Monterey.

  Much love from

  Linus Pauling:w

• Letter from LP to Mr. Jacob Zeitlin, RE: Returns the copy of the 1st edition of his book The Nature of the Chemical Bond which Zeitlin sent to him. Tells Zetlin that he has looked through the book to see the notes that the previous owner of the book had made. [Handwritten note from Zeitlin to LP, December 16, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Z: Correspondence, 1940-1980.), Box #468, Folder #468.13]
• Letter from Lord Adrian to LP RE: Says that he will not sign the Appeal because he feels that the risk of nuclear warfare is much greater than any risks associated with nuclear testing. He feels that if the tests were stopped it could bring about a false sense of security and concern about actual warfare might be lost. Discusses and encloses a letter he sent to someone who asked him to speak at a symposium. [Letter from Lord Adrian to Mr. Platts-Mills November 18, 1957] [Filed under LP Safe Contents: Drawer 2, Folder 2.001]
• Letter from Nicholas D. Constan to LP, RE: Informs LP that due to the political coloring the appeal has taken, he has not found much support for the signing of the appeal, but tells him that the Third Arab Science Congress voted to send a cable to the UN requesting immediate cessation of further bomb tests. Handwritten note on middle right says "no sigs." Note on top right says "14." [Filed under LP Personal Safe, Drawer 3 Folder 3.003]
• Letter from R. Debever to LP, RE: Apologizes for not responding to LP's letter of November 11, but that he was very busy. Explains that he sent a text to LP in Paris with a list of names. List these names, mentions a French text, and says that is all he knows on the subject. Handwritten notes indicate that this is not a communication of signatures and has the number 67. [Filed under LP Personal Safe, Drawer 3 Folder 3.003]
• Letter from Terje Enkvist to LP RE: Says that he regrets that he cannot sign the Appeal, but he does not think he has the competence to state the dangers of fallout. [Filed under LP Safe Contents: Drawer 2, Folder 2.001]
• Postcard from Jean W. Underhill to LP, RE: Tells LP that she will follow her advice. Explains that her attack is on Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. Explains that she is capable of describing fundamental processes in currently used mathematical, physical, or chemical terms, but does not want to because she believes that the basic mechanics of calculus are not in keeping with the basic laws of nature, but that geometry is. [Letter from LP to Underhill, December 17, 1957] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (U: Correspondence, 1936-1970), Box #421, Folder #421.15]