April 25, 1960

Dr. Sydney Rubbo
Department of Bacteriology
University of Melbourne
Parkville N.2.

Victoria, Australia

Dear Syd:

It was good to hear the news from you. Esther did give her paper
in London; |! found it possible to accompany her too. We're just back
now.

About sterility precautions for exoblology, ! am sending a paper
that | gave at Nice on the general subject. We have been thinking of
ethylene oxide as the work horse for the Job, and heat and radiation
for special sealed components. Dr. Charles Phillips, Mivision of
Physical Defense, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland) Is In charge of
the basic testing and procedures and | suggest you write to him for
details. The Russfans have stated flatly that they have decontaminated
Lunik with a powerful disinfectant but efforts to get any details have
been unavailing so far. You might profitably write yourself to
Dr. Nicolai D. Jerusalimsky ( Academy of Sciences, USSR, B.Jaluzhskava
ul., 53, Moscow, USSR) whose name has been identified with their program.
| am hoping we might go over the whole matter at some International conference.
Might you be an Australian delegate? Who else? (Except that the Space Science
Board did pass on a note of inquiry from Neville Stanley). | don't think
there is anything else to dig up in this country at present: our space agency
has only recently set up an office for biological study: Clark Randt is
directing it.

What do you think about back-contamination as a problem and how to
cope with it?

We are doing a little work here, mainly trying to automate a UV-
microscope-television system.

We ere counting (hopefully) on being here end-July and look forwerd
to seeing you. Let us know your plane arrival and we will try to meet it;
| know you have other friends here but save some time for us too. We might
talk about 1667 then too.

All the best.

f As ever,
am

o {3 Joshua Lederberg