Auguat 31, 1955

KR. 8B. Glass

dology Depar tad’

dohns Hopkine University
Baltimore 18, Marylani

Dear Bentleg:

I have just received your letter of the 26th, which gave ms some clue to your
address. Perhaps I will see you at Lansing before you get this letter, but I an
semiing it on in hopes of sending a few days.

First, let a say how delighted I am to see some possible action on the Dic-
tionary. The people I had talked to earlier had been the Sanders Co., when they
had asked for advice an some genetic terms. I imagine the most practical pro-
cedure would be for the AIBS to affiliate with one company on the project, and
thelr existing "Amepican Medical Dictionary——Dorland" is as good a starting
point as any. If I can be of any assistance pyself please let me know, but I
am glad to hear that such 4 project is already in your good hands. A Miss dean
Hus ted is in charge of the dictionary at Saunders.

\

You may by now have received another letter of mine, of the 16th, on another
matter. This was written in great haste, and probably shows it. I'm back from
that trip now, and having thought the matter over I would still likes to pre-
sent the letter to you, and ask your good offices for its publication. I hope I
am acting properly in dealing directly with one edi#er (as I aight not for an
ordinary paper), but do so as it concerns an editorial. If you have not had ay
covering letter of August 16, I think the enclosure will still be self-explanatory.
I have inserted tro or three sentences at the beginning to mke the topic less
mys@hrious, since somes weeks will have elapsed since the first publication. Let
me repeat that I would not have responded in this fashion to the original paper,
but the rep&tition of the claims in Selence has lent them a settled character
that I think is premature. Quite a few papphe hove written m to ask what I
think about it, and this letter seems the aost efficient acans of replying.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg

P.3. I know you have little to do with details of local arrangements, but
sclieduling the AIBS meeting to start the day after Labor Day was a sorry idea.
It means travelling on Labor Day— at the risk of one's life and nerves if by
Car; and many planss juéés don't fly then. Madison may have been in a particularly
ankward spot for it, but getting to Lansing on Monday 1s going to be quite a
trial however we do it! fe hope to see you anyhow, if we have any luck.