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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

HONOLULU 14, HAWAII

Department of Bacteriology February 27, 1959

Dear Josh:

Your letter of the 25th arrived this noon. This is better
service than we used to get in Madison when it often took a day or more
for mail to travel from Bacteriology to Genetics,

Thank you very much for the suggestion that I do some work on
airborne bacteria at various altitudes on the Island of Hawaii. Marion
and I plan to spend a few days there during the week of March 23-28.
Whether or not I can get needed equipment, and put it in working order
before that time remains to be seen, The greatest difficulty is that
I'm already up to my ears on another rather continuous medium out
here - the sea.

The Chairman of this Department, Dr. George 4. Chu, is a
Johns Hopkins parasitologist and bacteriologist who is interested in
dermatitis caused by schistosome cercariae, by various hydroids, and
by certain algae. Soon after my arrival, I started work with Dr. Chu
on a blue-green alga, Lyngbya majuscula, which grows attached to
rocks in the shallow waters of beaches, and which is accused of causing
a rather severe dermatitis. It is not known whether the alga itseff
causes the trouble, or whether the dermatitis-causing substances are
produced by associated action of the alga withsone or more species of
bacteria. The job which I have undertaken is to: (1) cultivate the
alga in the laboratory; (2)free it from bacterial associates or
contaminants by methods used first by Hoover and others, but improved
by 3koog and Gerloff; (3) isolate and identify the "typical" bacterial
associates or contaminants of the alga. In a laboratory where one
does all of his own work, this is keeping me busy. You see, I am also
teaching the beginning course in bacteriology, running a seminar, giving
special lectures, and serving as a sort of combined adviser and
catalyst to get more work done in bacteriology. The main difficulty is
that I am far enough from home to be classified as an "expert".

As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying immensely this opportunity to
do some laboratory work, and want very much to make a go of it. Having
started this rather ambitious program, I'd better stick with it and not
diversify to the extent that nothing will get done.

Last October I started some work at “isconsin with Dr. H. i.
Jannasch of the Ploen, Germany Limnological Institute on associations
of fresh-water blue-green algae with denitrifying bacteria. He is
continuing his work as a Project Associate at Madison while I'm over
here. I hope to resume work with him in Madison in July. So you see
that this local study is tied in with my major research interest of the
moment at home.

“oavIH Oo

ell
 

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

HONOLULU 14, HAWAII

At the same time, I welcome your suggestions, and I'm flattered
that you thought I might be able to do something of this sort. I shall
certainly give it a try, but my efforts may be puny and not very
extensive,

We have just finished the round of ceremonies and festivities
involved in the inauguration of Laurence H. snyder as President of this
university. I served as the delegate of the University of Wisconsin, and
hence participated in the whole show. This was a bit strenuous. I'm
glad it's done so everyone can go back to work, Two inaugurations in
less than six months is more than enough.

Marion and I are comfortably situated in a small apartment about
a mile up the valley from the campus. je have rented a little Volks-
wagen from a psychologist who is on leave at Rutgers for this semester.
This gives us a chance to buzz around, see the sights, and collect samples.
Everyone here is most hospitable, and the weather is truly wonderful.
By the way, do you know what they do with old Volkswagens? They send
them to an old~volks home!

Hnough of that. This place has the reputation of being a

hula university that is run as a ‘iaikiki Beach sideshow. It isn't cuite
that bad, but they've got serious problems. The main one is to get

good students to do research, and to find the funds to support research.
Past administrations have concentrated on instructional work to the
virtual exclusion of research. As a consequence the program of graduate
studies is weak, and one has to fight for research space, equipment and
support. It reminds me of Kansas State College when I had my first job-
there in 1927. But if Hawaii is to become a state it needs a strong
university, and I shall be happy if I can help achieve that goal.

I had the pleasure of seeing Newton Morton and his wife a few
days after our arrival on February lst. On the 16th I served as the
chairman of a panel on genstics in which Newt gave by far the best
presentation. He's wonderful, and I hope we can keep him at ‘Visconsin.

Please give my best regards to Esther. je probably won't get up
to see you on the way home because we acre going via ship to Los Angeles,
and from there to Madison by train. ‘Ve expect to leave here on June 17th.

Thanks again for writing, and I hope your work is going well.

Sincerely,

[ak

William B. Sarles