October 1, 1952

Dr. N. Hy, Horowltz

Kerelhoff Biological laboratories
California Institute of Teehnology
P-sadena, California

Dear Horm,

Your philological discoveries came to re as a
complete surprise. I immediately checked the word
"prototroph" in my copy of Webster's Collegiate
Dictionary, 1933. Perheps this is the book Josh
checked when he first sugrested the term, for "pro
totronh" is not listed. Since I don't mow 211 the
words in this little book, I rarely use - bigver one.

From my admittedly barbsarie viewpoint, it would
seer that the usefulness of a neologsism should jJus-
tify its existence, There certainly wes need for a
wore when “prototronoh" wos employed in its letter-
day sense, And I have yet to learn thet it eonfused
pether than cleri fied, Hrd you missed the meaning
when you rese of "transducers" in that article on
porpcises, I would perhaps have had rore symonsthy
with your point of view.

I recognize the probler of priority you reise
and admit wy ignorance of the fret tiat our work
“prototroph" was preoccupied, I fecl, however
thet withdrawal of our definiticn now would not Atte
prove the situation but would rether con‘use,

Should the oceasion arise in the future, I shall
adont the procedure you reeormend, if only te aveid
your sacederie wreath.

Rather than hear what the French Acade: ic vould
rule on the matter, Ita prefer to learn Josh's
resetion,

7%

Best regards,

Sincerely,

Franels J, Ryan
FIR: kk

CeCe Dr. Joshua Lederberg