THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
EDMONTON 7, CANADA

DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY

 

March 21, 1969.

Dr. J. Lederberg,

Head,

Department of Genetics,

Stanford University School of Medicine,
STANFORD, California 94304,

U. S. A.

Dear Josh:

As you know, I have been here for the last three years,
and believe that I have managed to create the kind of atmo-
sphere which this Department required in order to be a part
of the modern teaching and training program in Cellular Biology
at this University. However, because of the severity of the
climate coupled with the need which Mary has to get regular
exercise because of her lower back problem - a problem which
we have been coping with since my days in graduate school in
Illinois - it appears that she is running into more difficulties
than I can allow her to continue to be exposed to. The con-
sequence has been that she has been ill with various viral
infections more than half the time during the last year and
I must take her out of here before she loses any more ground.
The best place to take her, which would be easiest to re-
settle in as far as the family is concerned altogether, would
be to the coast, and I am consequently looking for a professional
opening in Vancouver or Victoria. It so happens that there was
a vacancy for a Professor in Biology at the University of
Victoria and I spoke to the Head of the Department over the
telephone last week. He advised me that they were down to a
short list of candidates and if I wanted to be considered I
would have to move quickly. I therefore took the liberty of
including your name amongst those of referees who could be
consulted regarding my past experience and performance. They
may, of course, not consider my application so far as that
point and you therefore may never hear from them. I merely
wish to explain to you the circumstances in which I would
ask for a letter at such short notice.

eee 2
Dr. J. Lederberg -2- March 21, 1969

Apart from the problem which has forced me to move from
here, the rest of my activities have been very satisfying and
therefore the current situation is doubly frustrating since I
have only begun to reap the benefits of a lot of hard work put
in to create a strength in Microbiology on this campus. How-
ever, I do believe that my decision is necessary and final
and hope to be able to inform you in the future that it has
worked out satisfactorily professionally as well as personally.

Yours very truly,

Bl

W. E. Razzell, Ph.D.,
Professor and Chairman,
Department of Microbiology.

WER/segs