May 25 - 1974 - Sat.
Stony Brook
Harry Soroff took the chmnship at Stony Brook some 2-3 mo ago. I had seen him in Feb at Am Coll of Cardiol in NYC, + he had asked if I would consider joining him. This Th + F provided my first chance to get away for a look. Elly has been unhappy with the frustrations of the Bethesda house (no storage space) + separation from friends + I find the situation at NHLI ridiculous in that a group of questionably able investigators have usurped control of what is done in extramural rsch +
[END OF PAGE ONE]
[BEGIN PAGE TWO]
and wish to accept no input from me for reasons of jealousy as to perspectives. To make a long story short, it appears that Harmison took in TC on the TAH + TC could not back down easily when careful review of the so-called VAH + the H-TAH pumps (both made out of unsupported dreams in a literally illegal fashion - i.e. wo sci. rev. fr. ex. consultants - when this careful review showed both to be non-viable. When it became obvious that this careful review, mainly
[END PAGE TWO]
[BEGIN PAGE THREE]
done at my request by Pitzele, would have this conclusion in spring 1973, Harmison took to surreptitious undermining of my every attempt to streamline + strengthen the DTA.  When I [therefore] asked that he be removed from DTA, TC went along - late in July. Within a week of his removal + of removal of the drone Dick Scott, TC disbanded DTA on the thesis that with Nixon's impoundment of funds + personnel ceilings wh suddenly blocked me from recruitment
[END PAGE THREE]
[BEGIN PAGE FOUR]
of several excellent replacements now standing ready in the wings, DTA was no longer viable. I was brought into TC's office as  Special Asst for Technology + asked to try to coordinate all technol in NHLI, but removed from direct control of the work for wh I was brought to NIH. Have been busy with many activities such as the Panel of FDA on CV Devices - The similar one of Am Coll of Surg + several others. Have been [therefore] looking.
[END PAGE FOUR]
[BEGIN PAGE FIVE]
On April 18 TC was made Deputy Asst Sec of Health, + RR has taken over as acting Dir of NHLI. This has been delightful - to my surprise. No one knows who will succeed Ted Cooper.
On May 23, Elly and I flew to LaG and picked up a car. We went to see Abe Lapidot at DMC + found her hearing okay but mine sharply [changed] at frequencies above about 2500. Abe will inquire to see if a hearing aid would help. It has been trying when I could not follow conversations
[END OF PAGE FIVE]
[BEGIN PAGE SIX]
in a crowd.
I've talked w Cal Plimpton about the offer of a position as Chief of Research at Bkln VA. He now accepts my advice of Aug 1971 that a strong future depends on close ? of DMC + VAH. There is some falling out betw him + HHL over some lack of forthrightness on HHL's part in re Walt Lillehei working at VAH - I think the whole thing would introduce some areas of awkwardness for Sam Kourtz + told Cal I did not
[END PAGE SIX]
[BEGIN PAGE SEVEN]
think I would take it. A big factor also is the commuting that would be involved + living that would be no better for Elly.
We drove out to Stony Brook + had dinner at Three Village Inn with Harry Soroff, Cliff + Arlene Birtwell, Bill + Christine Heroy. Bill has been FT at Stony Brook 2 yr.
On Fri May 24 I had a schedule as on the enclosed sheet - meeting Dean Marvin Kuschner. Ch of Med Leonard Meiselas (now here 2 yr), Kuschner's rt hand girl Mrs Eddie Bouvoir, Sumner Levine (Prof of bio Engg)
[END PAGE SEVEN]
[BEGIN PAGE EIGHT]
The advantage are:
1) Living of Elly
2) Rsch opportunities with guaranteed support
3) Space of rsch - Dept has empty labs now + in new bldg has 1/2 acre of floor space (inclg specialties)
4) Some clin acty at VAH  - Northport - Have a huge complex of 450 beds + is only partly full but is new (< 1 yr.).  13 mi away fr school (work of Pellegriano, now mercifully gone) I could follow my former pts from DMC perhaps w use of 450 bed Huntington
[END PAGE EIGHT]
[BEGIN PAGE NINE]
Hosp, wh is staffed w. house officers of Soroff's program.
5) Little admin work
6) A PR role w the profession - could well be done via Bkln + L. I. Chapter of ACS + via several of my trainers in practice in the area
7) Soroff wants to fill 17 or 18 faculty lines in SUNY + would prefer to have me on one. In answer to his query, I noted I now have 36K for NIH + 15 K for NY St Retirement Fund. He can almost match w a salary of 50 K - noting that if I work at
[END PAGE NINE]
[BEGIN PAGE TEN]
SUNY my retirement would terminate. I shall inquire whether so doing would raise my retirement income when I finally stop work.
Disadvantages:
1) I am rusty on S + would need intensive study to recoup + properly practice.
2) I do not  learn or recall as I used to
3) The program is in the stage of infancy.
[END PAGE TEN]
[BEGIN PAGE ELEVEN]
Univ Hosp is supposed to be 4 or 5 years away - + I could work only until 70 yr of age for SUNY.
4) There is need for XS travel betw the school + VAH.
The decision must await printed firming of arrangements as to:
1) Salary + retirement
2) Accommodation of associates: Pitzele, HH LeVeen - perhaps Akutsu + a crew