RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
Lhe State University of New Jersey

INSTITUTE OF MICROBIOLOGY
NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY

April 2h, 1957 CHARTER 7-1766

Dr. J. Lederberg
Department of Genetics
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

Dear Josh:

Since too few of my friends are being elected to the
National Academy of Sciences, I haven't the slightest idea
whether it is customary to dispatch congratulatory messages
on such an occasion. However, having had this morning's
breakfast brightened by the New York Times! report on your
election to the Academy I wanted to express my heartiest
congratulations to you regardless of whether or not this
is an accepted procedure. It seems to me that with this
well-deserved honor you also assisted in placing the final
stamp of respectability upon the entire field of microbial
genetics (and at the same time you must have broken some
kind of an age barrier).

With very best regards to Esther and you,
Cordially,

LSe

Werner Braun

—_—

WB: jse