Jan 2, 1938
Dear Fries:
I was very glad to get your letter a few weeks ago and also to get the reprint of the famous "Kogl-Friessche Arbeit" Thank you very much. Its [sic] a very fine piece of work and very well presented. In a way its [sic] too bad that Kogl will get part of the credit for it -- But a lot of us know who is responsible.
I'm glad to hear that you had such a pleasant trip in Sweden. Someday we hope to visit there. But before that we expect you hope to see you in America for a year or so, especially since you hope to finish your work for Ph.D. next year.
We haven't seen Desreux since we met him in Paris this summer, but have heard from him several times. He seems to be enjoying everything immensely. v. Wagtendonk has a job in Amersfoort in a chemical factory synthesizing [ . . . ], essential oils, etc. He seems to enjoy it, but I think, hopes to visit America someday.
The time certainly does go quickly. It seems so long ago that we were all together in the old lab in Utrecht. I think we all profited from the experience, but are all glad to get away. v. Wagtendonk says that Koningsberger left Nov. 1. and only v. der Laan, Sparenburg, Pous, and Re Man remain -- Pous' and de Man's lab. still is "the most secret spot of the whole lab," to quote v. W. So far as I know, no more work was being done on effect of biotin, amurine [?] etc on plants or fungi. We probably won't know if there is until its [sic] published.
We had a very pleasant trip thru Germany, Switzerland and France last summer -- We took 3 weeks -- went through the Black Forest to Zurich where we have friends -- then visited Frashagest [?] in Lyon -- went to the Cote d'Azur -- took train from Marseilles to Paris -- Met Desreux and spent a very pleasant evening with him there --
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We went back thru Rheims, Aachen and Maastricht to Utrecht -- and sailed a couple of weeks later -- I didn't try to do any more work because it seemed hopeless in that time. We had a cold rainy crossing and were very happy to get back in N.Y. We spent a day there seeing the city then went to Madison, spent 3 weeks with our families, bought a Ford and drove to Calif -- 2100 miles -- plus or minus 3000 km.
California is an ideal place to live -- the climate is perfect, and seems like heaven after the rain and cold in Holland. Everyone is so friendly and helpful -- We've made a lot of friends. But best of all, there is not a trace of the peculiar atmosphere of Utrecht -- It certainly is a relief. We've had wonderful weather so far -- Have had a lot of picnics and I played tennis outside last week.
The work I'm doing is very interesting -- I'm trying to isolate a hormone which is present in many insects which controls eye color. We can feed or inject extracts into colorless [?] eyed flies and get colord [sic] eyed -- The hormone seems to be quite generally important and may, if we are successful, be as important as biotin! I'm also working on the eye pigments themselves and also working on the propionic acid bacteria a little.
I hope that your work turns out as satisfactory as the work in Utrecht and that you will be able to come to America after you get your degree. In the meantime, lots of good luck for the coming year and let me know how you're getting along when you have time to write.
My wife and Peggy send their best wishes too,
Sincerely, your friend
Ed. Tatum
P.S. I forgot to tell you that I now have the job v. Wagtendonk was considered for at Stanford -- I heard about it in Zurich and it was settled later. We're enjoying Calif. very much
Ed.
230 Sequoia Ave
Palo Alto
Calif --