August 30, 1955

Dr. K. C. Atwwocd
Blology Division
ORNL; Box P

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Dear Kim:

Your letter told me all I needed to know; aamely that you would not be embar-
rassed or offended if the possibility of an academic chair for you were discussed,

I hope you will think very éarafully about going to Camp Detrick. I am very
dubious that you would got either Larry or Norton; they had been approached before.
Of course, if you were there it doubtless would encoprage some good sefple to go
mkho might otherwise be reluctant, out I doubi if that would be snough. The salary
angle cuéesni't sean toc convincing elther, enless you have foregone ali hope and
have been spoiled for acadende life. Hawa You probabiy could find ways of sup>le-
menting your incuce in u university job by censultantsbdps, vte., esoucially as
a physicdan. Of sovurso, evan if you do cova for auw, I will ussume that you are
not going to be permanently unavailable.

As to Jacpi-folliaan, I think you've hit the nail right on the heud, in every
respect. This Luoks 1iks another une of ths aeven~leagga juaps; hes everyone
forgotten the Hayes—Yatson fad s0 acon? Frankiy, I wes a little annoyed (not at
Jacob) but at tie tons of WHA's writeup of it in Seience, and perhaps overhastily
wrote up the letter enclosed. (Please return it when convenient, ami your comments
will be quite welcom.) I am baclined to agres with you that there is going to be
a surprising answer in due course. The postzygotic loss is, 1 think, basieally cor-
rect but it is nakxex more of a description than aa explanation. UnfSrtunately, the
Bris crowd has been disinclined to work with diploids, though they've had stocks
for quite 2 while that they could use if they wanted to do the work, and they have
correspondingly ahrugged all of the diploid studies off as something they won't
consider.

The idea of a chromosome(s) gradually moving in is not completely ridiculous;
it could also be oriented, e.g. by a mobile centromere, but it is equally posaible
the issue would be inherently selected! But as you say, there are more jvestions

than answers.
o s Ainceraly,

OAL hme
/ Soshua Lederberg

f-

P.S. One arrangenent I had in mind would be that an appointment you might fill
could be held apen until after your service was completed. As to that, you will,
after all doubtless be assigned to Naval Medical Research or the like in any event
whatsoever.