4Am-(3!

July 25, 1969

Herman W, Lewis, Head
Cellular Biology Section
National Science Foundation
Washington, D. C. 20550

Dear Dr. Lewis:

Upon return from my vacation, I find your very encouraging letter
of July 1 on my desk and apologize for not having answered sooner.

I spent three weeks in Europe and had occasion to visit numerous
zoos, even obtained a skin biopsy for tissue culture from the only
captive Sumatran rhinoceros (Copenhagen Zoo). In Europe, I had
occasion to discuss the possibility of establishing such a tissue
bank with numerous individuals. All were enthusiastic about it and
urged that we proceed with it. Several of the men I spoke to are
quite influential and would lend their support to it. Thus, Dr. Roth
of the FAO in Rome; Dr. Schaurte, head of the "Rhino group" of the
IUCN; Dr. Christensen, Editor of the Nordisk Vet. Med. J., and others.
In November when I will have to be at WHO in Geneva I will visit the
IUCN in Morges (Dr. Holoway) and try to get their support for it.

Dr. Roth at “AO has tried before but their outfit has a sperm bank
for some domestic stock only and reported that the expert committee
of IUCN had, in the past, not evinced any interest. I believe they
need te be convinced.

Personally, I feel that it is high time this thing gets underway while
tissues of rare animals are still available! perhaps the international
goodwill engendered by the moon adventure will be helpful. Also the
fact that numerous animals are currently in culture which will never

be gotten again (take the Sumatran rhino, three species of whale, 4
manatee, etc.).

It is difficult for me to make concrete proposals, particularly some
that are coupled with specific monetary suggestions. I find it nec-
essary that a small committee meet for one day soon at Washington to
discuss this. Ideally, this would take place before Oct. 10. At that
time will be the meeting of the International Zoo Directors Association
in New York. They should receive a proposal, for their cooperation
will be vital. <A committee convened perhaps by you should include

Josh Lederberg, T. C. Hsu, a man from A. D. Littie (v.i.), some author-
itative person from the American Type Culture Collection (for technical
and monetary suggestions), and a person from the Smithsonian Institute.
Perhaps R. v. Gelder (Curator Mammals, Museum Nat. Hist., N.Y. - I
wrote him-about this recently) should be asked.

On my way to Europe I met a cryo-engineer from A. D. Little who thought

Sima MH
Herman W. Lewis, Head - 2 - July 25, 1969

that for this purpose a self-regenerating Helium deep freeze would
be the most satisfactory. They are now commercially beginning to
become available and are the coldest temperature feasible. They nar-
ket such refrigerators now, a price of $25,050 was mentioned but I
may be in error.

In ny naive way of thinking about the problem at the present it seens
that the following may be feasible with Support by NSF, IUCN and a«
museum:

Establish in a museum a freezing unit, rizidly supervised by contract
with a service engineer.

Establish guidelines of classification, mechanism of freezing and cata-
loguing.

Prepare tissue culture ampoules, frozen in liquid nitrogen (perhaps in
3 labs: T. C. Hau, ours, ATCC) and submit then neriodically in nitro-
gen to the repository fer freezing in neliun.

Eventually it may be necessary oF desirable to culture and prepare aup-
cules in the Museum itsdf. However, the staff. equipment, personnel
(anc interest?) there are verétable obstacles.

It would seen to me that to set it up should cost no more than $50,006,
probably much less. Then comes the annual service contract to service
the refrigerator and some minor costs to the Supplyiny laboratories,
perhaps $3-50006.

These are suggestions of my own only. I feel that a planniny meeting
in Washington soon is essential to cone up with a concrete proposal.
I am willing to travel on my Own budget just so that things cet startec.
But we must proceed now. No more than one repository is envisaged as
it snould be capable of aclding all the Samples one can obtain in the
next 20 years.

I apologize that the reprints were omitted in the last mailing. They
are now enclosed. It is my sincere hope that I will hear from you soon
again and that the project can get underway.

Sincerely yours,

Kurt Benirschke, 4.0.
Professor and Chairman

Kis: ghd
cc: Urs. Lederberg, Hsu, Schaurte, and Roth