. | Mareh 1, 1955

Dr. CG. A. Elvejhem
Dean .

Graduate School
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wis. .

é .
Dear Dean Elvejhem:

I regret to have to record a serious accident incurred by Mr. Robert
Errol Wright, a Research Assistant in Genetics. Mr. Wright suffered seri-
ous head injury and is in critical condition at the Mercy Hospital at
Janesville. The accident occurred on the highway near Janesville yester-
day morning; his case is being managed by Dr. M. Javid of our hospital's
neurosurgical division.

Iwish to take this opportunity to record that Wright's injury was
ineurred while he was on duty status. I had arranged with Professor C. C.
Lindegren of the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale that Wright
visit him for the purpose of exchanging cultures and information on the
research project in yeast genetics on which Wright 4s engaged. He was
returning from this trip when the acciderit occurred.

Mr. Wright was accompanied for the trip by Dr.“Peter Day and Mrs.
Wright, both of whom are also employed by the University in related capa-
capacities (Dr. Day is an honorary fellow in Plant Pathology). Fortunately,
they escaped uninjured.

At the present time it is quite uncertain whether Mr. Wright will sur-
vive; we can only hope for the best. It seemed important, however, to
record the facts relevant to Mr. Wright's duty status at the time of the

accident.
‘ Yours sincerely,

. Joshua Lederherg
~ Professor of Genetics: