dune 7, 1957

Dr. Joe Lein
Bristol Laboratories
Syracuse 1, N.Y.

Hi Joe:

I have to thank you for your kind note of felictations.

Not wich new goes on here; perhaps I can just use the occasion to
‘needle! you again on some notions we have thrashed out defore:

a) Are there products other than antibiotics worth hunting production
medthods for? For the most part, you have remarked, Brist@ids distribution
setup wouldn't lend itaelf to products outside the @rug field.

b) Are you looking for adjuvant drugs in the screening programs-—e.g.
for agents that will potentiate streptomycin against SF &. coli? or The?

c) How goes the organic substitution?

To change the subject (ani counter toia]) ay agronomlo friends tell m
that damping-off infestations are stillga very serious problem, one that
ought to have an antibiotic solution. This is the killing of young seed and
seedlings, right after germination, by various fungi, often Pythium. I dmagine
that some screening has gone on for this purpose, but I also wonder if you
have ever run through your own file of agents, or inoluded this problem in
your general screening. The market could be quite extensive, both in agri-
culture, ami even (don't aneeze at it, duPont doesn't) in home gardening,
and you would not be mich bothered by considerationa of animal toxicity.

I'm sure you've thought about agricul&ural chemotherapy, at least in
general terms, but it seems to me these problems have to be followed with
the same specificity as fhe medical ones. But I/ can't advise very much on
the details.

Best regards, and please pass my thanks on to Amel too for his cordial
note,

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg