THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
MEDICAL, SCHOOL

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN GENETICS TELEPHONE:
1133 E. CATHERINE STREET ANN ARBOR, 663-1511
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN EXTENSION 3202

May 29, 1962

Dr. Joshua Lederberg

Department of Genetics

Stanford University Medical Center
Palo Alto, California

Dear Josh:

I am sorry if I sounded over-sensitive in my last letter, but perhaps
I am: trying to staff that project was one prolonged headache; there was
a notable lack of enthusiasm for going to Japan on the part of our
genetic colleagues. I fully agree with you concerning the desirability
of getting this into competent Japanese hands. As a matter of fact, as
you will see in the enclosed very first publication on this study, this
was the objective from the beginning. However, in the early days we

were unable to make substantial progress in this direction, primarily fd
because: (1) this was regarded by the Japanese as an "Occupation- gl
sponsored" activity -- and you can visualize how our best scientists >
would be cooperating with the Japanese were they occupying this country; ~
(2) by direction of the Occupation, we were affiliated with the National A

Institute of Health of the Ministry of Welfare -- the universities

answer to the Ministry of Education, and there is an antagonism between
these two Ministries that effectively precludes any kind of cooperation
and kept us from getting over onto the university side through government
channels; (3) you can visualize the disorganization of Japanese science
following the termination of hostilities; and (4) there were no trained
Japanese human geneticists in our sense of the word. So there you have

it. On the other hand, the situation has now changed to the point where,
should we move forward on the matter of chromosomal abnormalities, I .
would certainly hope that this could be pretty well turned over to Japanese,
working with our old records and out of the ABCC. Incidentally, the matter
of studies on the Fs is now coming up for discussion, since the first of
these will be along in several years. I do believe that this should be
made a Japanese activity, although from the scientific standpoint, would
think of it as the kiss of death to saddle some able young man with this
very difficult piece of bookkeeping for the next 20 years.

/ @ lf (|

No answer expected.

regards,

  
 

James V. Neel, M.D.

JVN:rt
Enclosure