MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139

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July 6, 1983

Department of Biology - Room 56-423
(617) 253-4707

The Editor

The Boston Globe

135 William T. Morrissey Blvd.
Dorchester, Massachusetts

Your article "Who's Right about Yellow Rain?" (Globe, July 4)
did a valuable public service in presenting the arguments gathered by
Professor Meselson in favor of a simple biological explanation of the
"yellow rain" in Southeast Asia, the presence of fungal toxins on
forest leaves.

_ While our Government used flimsy evidence to heat up the Cold
War once again by accusing the Soviet Union of perpetrating banned
biological warfare, Meselson has performed the proper function of a
scientist, analyzing data and examining more reasonable, less politically
motivated alternatives.

Dr. Meselson is said to have been the inspiration behind President
Nixon's 1969 decision to renounce biological weapons unilaterally. One
year later in Mexico City Dr. Roger Porter and I, former presidents of
the American Society for Microbiology, were the U.S. delegates to the
international panel on biological warfare. It was our privilege to use
the momentum of President Nixon's initiative to draft a unanimously
accepted resolution to ban biological weapons. This resolution was later
unanimously adopted by the United Nations.

It seems irresponsible for officials and for their microbiologically
untrained advisors to use what can at best be considered suggestive
evidence to unleash a campaign of vilification, adding to the strain of
international relations. As a professional microbiologist I find Dr.
Meselson's arguments intriguing enough to advise utmost restraint instead
of irresponsible spouting about Soviet violations.

LE wre

S. E. Luria, M.D.
Institute Professor Emeritus
M.I.T.

SEL/me