Clairemont Fd. .
Helmont MA OSLYS
C617) 494-0440,

  
   

April @, i992,

Me. W. Marshali Monford,
OYNExXLS Assaciates,

PO fox G,

Manhasset, NY Liowe.,

 

Dear Mr. Monford,

i share your interest in scientific terminolagy, having
wntroduced the terms “auxatraph"” and "pshenome" many years aqo.
And Io agree that engineering, intervention, or manipulation have
undesirable avertones when applied to deliberate genetic
alterations in humans. Gut “allanie” seems to me unnecessarily
diverced fram the already familiar terminology of genetics, and
Bt faiis ta indicate what is being changed. Might not "allogeny”
and “aliaqenic”™ far the process, and "allogen” far the block af

C chive and acceptabley I haven't

    

AMA being maved, be more effe
done any research on them, so [I suppose there is same danger that
they have already been used in genetics. Webeter a Unabridged
Internat, Dick. and ed.) lists “allogenic" as a term used in
geaqlody, Hut there snould mot be any confusion in using the same
term for somewhat parailel meanings in such different contexts as

two fields of science.

  
  

Towould take the tiberty of further ting that you may have
weakened your case for replacing the undesirable present terms by
your enthusiasm for an extensive new, classical terminology. i
daubt that the scientific community will embrace anything iike
the long list of new words that you sug@e@st, but Io can imagine
that a few key authors in molecular genetics might aqree ta —
promate a single key new term.

  
     

Sincerely,

Hernard D. Davis
Adele Lehman Fraotessor of
Hacterial PRysialiagy,
Emeritus
c/J. Lederberg
mR. Hotchkiss