Memo from To: Dr R Q Eee -
JOSHUA LEDERBERG USN Med Res Unit" #2
Box 14

MAR 6 1974 FPO Sen Freneisco 96263
‘

Genetics Research connected with AGILE

I have received se communicstion from a
Dr. Hammerschleg at City of Hepe that needs to
be taken very seriously es = potentiel source
of mischievous misunderstanding. Some of his
collesgues heve gotten the idea thet your work
on hemoglobin polymorphisms-- since it ack-
nowledged AGILE/ARPA support--. might be rela-
ted in some way to the development of ethnic-
specific chemical weapons! You will doubtless
be hearing from Dr. Hammerschleg, and I fear
that you might dismiss his inquiry out of hand
if you did not understand the beckground, or
the potentialities of (whet I trust is) a
groundless. allegation. It is difficult (es-
pecislly to peopIe who may be inexperienced in
the dynemics of getting funding for medical
research) to understand whet Hb variants have
to do with the ARPA mission as defined in the
appropriations process. I could well. understar
your reluctance to be submitted to any process
of justification, but my PLEA is that you do
take such inquiries seriously,.aend respond as
cendidly end factually as possible ebout the
mission of ARPA Order Ho. 580, Program Plan
298; how it reIates to PHS "monitoring"; and -
the scope and purposes of your own work there-
under. I can too easily visusTize the flou-
rishing of fentasies sbout populsticn-genetic
research generslly thet would surpass the
CAMELOT fiasco.
If I can help in ony way to facilitate
clear understanding, please csll upon me.

Sincerelym

 

PROFESSOR JOSHUA LEDERBERG
Department of Genetics
School of Medicine

Stanford University
Stanford, California 94305

HS B2l 1900 ySBo}

 

 

 

Chur? 2/73