INSTITUTE FOR SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

1122 SPRING GARDEN STREET ° PHILADELPHIA 23, PENNSYLVANIA

May 23, 1960

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Genetics Dept.
Stanford University
Palo Alto, California

Dear Josh:

IT am enclosing my new proposal to NSF. This is the first submission so
there sertainly is time for revisions that may result from suggestions
by advisory committee members. I also intend to submit the proposal to
the NIH before their July lst, 1960 deadline. However, that would mean
no decision until December 1960. The NSF could move mich faster if it
so desires. No matter what I say in this proposal, of course, is not as
important as what they really want to do. Adkinson or Gray of the NSF's
Office of Science Ififormation Service can push this through if they
really want to investiggte citation indexes. A call to either of these
fellows would not hurt. The last time you said something to somebody
about citation indexes things started to happen. .

I got a letter from Louis Fields of Starling Corp. He writes"vhile my
interest in your device can only be academic at this point, I must
confess I do not completely lundestand the operation or function of
this equipment from the literature supplied.I would, however, be inter.

ested in learning more atout what appears to be a very unusual and
valuable device."

I*m not sure that he can really make the conclusion he does in view of
the previous sentence, but I will write a more detailed explanation.

There is a distinct chance that the INDSX CHEMICUS may not come off before
1961 on acoount of very poor response by the chemical industry. We are
waiting for another month to see full results of our promotion.

I know that you would rather we pushed the comprehensive appraach to SCI,
but I know how picayune those fellows at NSF are. I was just going through
GENETICS and see how important it is that we really do the whole darned
kit and kaboodle, but the main thing is to get some money. Later we can
switch over, from the selective to the comorehensive appro ch. Gene

TELPHONE: POPLAR 55-7818 e CABLE: CURRCON e TWX: PH 8O3

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