The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.

Chairman of the Governing Body :

Ste Henry H. DALE, 0.M., G.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.S. CHELSEA BRIDGE ROAD,
Hon. Treasurer : LONDON, S.W.1.

THE Rt. HON. VISCOUNT WAVERLEY, P.C., G.C.B.,
G.C.S.1., G.C.1.E., F.R.S.

Director : Telegrams : ‘** Bacteriology, Knights, London.

PROFESSOR A. A. MILES, C.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P. Telephone : SLOanz 2181.

l7th.December 1954.

Professor J.lederberg,
Department of Genetics,
University of Wisconsin,
Madison,

Wis. U.S Ae

Dear Josh,

I write in haste to ask about Helen Byers, or
Bernstein as she will now be, I hear. Professor Cruickshank at
the London School of Hygiene showed me some correspondence about
her; as you mustinow she wrote to L.S.H. to reguest to be
registered as a PheDestudent of University of London, at the
LeSeHe, she having been advised(wrongly I am sure)that this was one
of the only 3 places in the University of London she could do Ph.D.
in genetics; the snag is that ProfessorsSpooner and Cruickshank ,
in the Department of Bacteriology there, do not feel that they, or
anyone else in the department, are qualified to be her supervisor;
Cruickshank ,therefore, asked me about the Lister as a possible
place for her. I am now a "recognised teacher" of the University
of London and so could if necessary be "supervisor" for her if she
came here. So far as I can tell this ought to be possible (as
also I presume would be the Post-Graduate Medical School (Hayes)
and possibly Wright-Fleming Institute (Rowley).

3
Helen it appears, has heen tbld (woong ly ) that there
is a dead-line, I think Dec.51, for registration, hence ‘this hasty
note. I am not very clear from the correspondence what she lacks in
the way of requirements for Wisconsin Ph.D.e; I have not the University
of London regulations here, but my impression is that you have to
start afresh and do 2 years full time work from date of registration.
This I should have thought would be rather absupd for someone with
herd previous record and who had worked 2-3 years with you. I am
naturally anxious to give any help I can in getting anyone of yours
fixed up, so I hope you will let me know if there is anything to be
done
I am in the midst of many complications. I was due
to move into a new flat (unfurnished) 2-3 weeks ago, just procured
at great expenses, but at critical moment fell 411 with fever, mayhe
Yflut. I have now recovered, and have moved but have no furniture
yet beyond a bed and a chest of drawere as I was sick all the week
I had intended to take off for purpose of picking up stuff at auction£
This week T cantt §0 to auctions as we have a 4-day meeting on

Bact .Genetics (of a more or less elementary and didactic kind)

and I can't cut this as I was orie of the people asked to organise it.
However, tomorrow is the last day, so then T shall have a day or two
to do things in.

All this has held Up draft version of peper T have nearly
completed. When you last wrote you had not got,as far as I coula tell
my last letter to you, one which included half a dozen extensive
pedigrees abstracted down in a rather messy way on to quarto paper.
Have you now had this ? op was it lost while trailing you round the
country ? I consider evidence for uni-kinear tnherittance of both
(1) gene-like particle and (43) particulate "gene -product" conferring
motility, to be now §00d enough to write up in definitive way Rew.

gather you are still sceptical. I think the best thing will be for
mé to complete present draft, send it to you for your opinton, If
you agree more or less and your results tie in (I have no details

3

could let me know, and I coulda then consider whether tombe more
cautious, or if I remained unconvinced I might &0 ahead with draft,
remoddlled as paper over my own name only. Anyway, as soon ag T can
get to a desk for a few hours I will Complete .re-draft of last
remaining section of text and air-mail over a copy to you (without
figures, pedigrees etc. which v11}] take time).

Several interesting things in lab.e, not my © xperirents, but
ones of .uadling's, for his PheD.; details later.

How is Esther ? She has not written to me for months. How
is latest hom6e? You owe us a tape message. Best wishes for
Christmas and New Year. Must finish now.

a

Yours,

:
by wee

&

B.Stocker,

If all goes well I shall Spend a week or so tn Copenhagen, at
Christmas. stopping with Nancy and Victor Bruce