THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
Laboratory of Genetics

Genetics Building
MADISON, WISCONSIN 53706

Department of Genetics Department of Medical Genetics

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences 26 September 1972 School of Medicine

Dr. Joshua Lederberg

Department of Genetics

Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford Medical Center

Palo Alto, California 94304

Dear Josh:

I'll see where the documents about your appointment here are. Alex Brink
told me a few days ago that he is going to write a history of that period,
so I am sure that he has the records at hand. He mentioned having
difficulty finding one letter, which is one that he personally wrote to
Sinnott asking about you. Im any case, I'll see him and either he or I
will write in more detail.

My only pertinent recollection regarding the history of transformation

is some discussion at Texas when I was a graduate student around 1940,
based mainly on Dobzhansky's book, which was very influential at the time.
Most of the discussion, as I recall, had to do with inventing ways in which
the results might be explained by selection. There was considerable
reluctance to accept transformation at that time. I don't have a copy of
Dobzhansky's early editions at hand, but I believe that he suggested
selection.

More later. This is mainly an acknowledgement of your letter.

Sincerely,

V James F. Crow

JFC: tm