MAY 15 4978

THE PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
OF THE City OF NEW YorK, INC.

455 First AVENUE. NEW YorRK. N. Y. 10016
TEL. (212) 481-0700

Office of the President and Director May 10, 1978

Dr. Joshua Lederberg

Genetics Department

Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California 94305

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

We are writing to ask for your support in a matter that involves
the survival of the Public Health Research Institute.

The PHRI has a contractual arrangement with the City of New York
providing for its occupancy of space in the City owned Public Health
Laboratory building, as well as a certain amount of financial support.
Although this contract does not expire until 1981, its renewal is
currently under negotiation, and a decision by the City is expected
within a very short time.

In view of the present financial situation in New York City,
there is serious concern here that the City may not renew this contract.
In the hope of encouraging renewal, the PHRI has informed the City that
it will not only not ask for any financial support in the new contract
but will also voluntarily waive the payments still due under the present
one. Thus, the new contract would provide only laboratory space - space
that is obviously vital to our existence. Nevertheless, we have been
led to believe that the City may be reluctant to renew even under such
terms. a

At this point, therefore, it is our feeling that a strong state-
ment of support by prominent members of the scientific community may
help to convince the City that we are a valuable resource with respect
to the scientific and intellectual climate of the City and one that
would be well worth maintaining, especially at such a small cost.

We are asking you, if you agree with the above, to retype the
enclosed letter and send one copy to Mayor Koch and return one to us.
If you wish to modify the letter in any way, you are, of course, welcome
to do so, or if you feel you would like to write a letter of your own,
that would be even better. A recent annual report of the Institute's
activities and a list of prominent former staff members are enclosed for
your information.

We will, indeed, be grateful for an upport you can give us.

Sin ly, KE y ff
George Oe

Hirst, M.D.
President and Director
Encls.