INDIANA UNIVERSITY

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA

DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY Nov. 16, 1955

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics

The University of Wisconsin
Madison 6, Wis.

Dear Lederberg:

I am delighted to have your letter of Nov. 15, to myself, to-
gether with the one that you wrote to Rabinowitch. In tw or three
days I am leaving to go to Princeton to attend a cenference on the
genetic effects of radiation that the National Academy has called.

I am very doubtful about what they will accomplish, particularly since
there will be men on the panel who are antagonistic to the idea of
there being a genetic danger, and others who may want to muddy up the
issue by claiming that an increase in heterozygosis is beneficial for
mankind. However, I have been thinking of proposing to them that the
whole inquiry should be on a much groader basis, and concern itself not
merely with radiation. Your let Heap ast in time to give me val-
uable support in this, and I hope you will not mind my reading it to
them. It would, however, have been much better if you had been one of
the members. However, the talks are only beginning and if I can work
it, I will have you called in later, provided you do not object.

I quite agree with you that this matter should not be left to
the AEC or even to the American Cancer Society or the National Cancer
Institute as it has been in the past for with these organizations the
whole problem is just a rather obnoxious and expensive side issve.
Something like the Public Health Service.ought to take itup. Certainly
the World Health Organization would bé-interested, but that would not
have the funds as a national organization would. I intend to speak to
Dr. Chisholm who is on the campus giving lectures to see if he has any
suggestions about the matter since he was for some years head of the World
Health Organization and is very forward looking in such matters. Your
letter ought to help me with him, too,

With all best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

FA). Fn Loan

H. J. Mull

HJM:slh