September 1934 - Linus Pauling Day-by-Day

Handwritten note from LP to E. Bright Wilson, Jr., RE: Informs Bright that he hasn't been feeling well so his work on the book has been slow. Notes that he agrees with Tolman that they should publish it at once and asks if Bright agrees that Chapters XIII and XV should be short and that Chapter XIV should only have 3 sections in it, the last written by Bright on quantum statistical mechanics. Asks what be thinks about omitting XIII, because of his book with Wheland. Says that he will send XII and others as soon as he writes in the formulas. [Filed under LP Personal Safe: Drawer 3, Folder 3.005.60]

Lecture Notes: The Structure of Crystals- Lecture 1 [Filed under LP Biographical: Academia Box 1.010, Folder 8]

Letter from Arthur B. Lamb, Editor, Journal of the American Chemical Society to LP RE: Requests that LP review the enclosed manuscript by Fuoss, entitled "Properties of Electrolytic Solutions. XV." [LP's reply to Lamb October 15, 1934] [LP Science Box 14.002, Folder 2]

Letter from Charles W. Stillwell to LP RE: Asking if he can spare a reprint of his paper on "Covalent Radii of Atoms." [LP's reply: October 2, 1934] [Filed under: S: Correspondence, Box #377.4]

Letter from LP to James B. Conant, Harvard University. [Conant's reply to LP October 1, 1934] [Filed under C: Individual Correspondence, Box #66.15]

September 25, 1934

Dr. James B. Conant,

President of Harvard College,

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dear President Conant:

I have been working on the porphyrins from the wave-mechanical side, and think that some of your formulas (chlorins, rhodins) should be changed slightly. Would you be interested in reading a manuscript on this subject (when it is written) and advising me as to its correctness and value?

I believe that we are now in a position to work on some substances of biochemical importance. For example, we have discovered a method of determining how many atoms are bonded to iron in such things as haemin, heamochromogens, etc., by a special x-ray procedure. The work is laborious, and the substances must be reasonably pure. It is my opinion that we should engage a young man trained in haemoglobin work preferably an able student of yours - to assist on the chemical side. Do you recommend this action? If so, could you recommend such a man to us, and advise as to how large a stipend he should be paid? I had in mind a man of about National Research Fellow caliber. I believe that we would want him about a year from now, or perhaps as early as July, 1935.

I should be happy if it were possible to talk with you about our projected researches in this field, in order to profit by your advice and get your opinion as to their value.

Dr. Wheland is still with me. He is a very good man at theoretical work. He married this summer.

My wife joins me in sending greetings to you.

Very sincerely yours,

LP:M

Letter from LP to Warren Weaver, Director of the Natural Sciences, The Rockefeller Foundation. [Weaver's reply to LP October 3, 1934] [LP Science Box 14.037, Folder 5]

September 25, 1934

Dr. Warren Weaver,

September 25, 1934

The Rockefeller Foundation

49 West 49^th Street, New York

I am planning to apply to the Rockefeller Foundation for a grant for the continuation of my researches. Will you come to Pasadena again this fall, and if you do, should I delay making application until after your visit? If not, when should the application be submitted?

The progress of our work during this year has been thoroughly satisfactory. The work has consisted of almost entirely of the development of methods of attack on difficult structural problems such as occur in biochemistry. The quantum-mechanical methods which we developed and applied in the discussion of aromatic hydrocarbons and free radicals have been extended and are now being applied to the porphyrins, the characteristic constituents of haemoglobin and chlorophyll; our results indicate strongly that incorrect formulas have been assigned to some of these substances by all investigators. The study of the porphyrins requires an accurate knowledge of the configuration of the pyrrole ring and of the effect of conjugation on interatomic distances. We have obtained this information by the use of the electron-diffraction method, which we have developed and tested until it rivals the spectroscopic method (applicable only to very simple molecules) in accuracy. Moreover, we have discovered a new x-ray method, dependent on anomalous dispersion, by means of which the environment of an iron atom in haemin and related substances can be investigated. I believe that this is the most powerful and promising method of attack on the problem of the structure of haemoglobin and related substances that exists, and I should like very much to carry out the investigation of a number of substances such as haemin, various haemochromogens, etc. The method is laborious, however, requiring very accurate measurements (fortunately we have the apparatus) and extensive calculations. I believe that we should have associated with us next year a young man especially trained in haemoglobin work, to prepare the substances and assist on the chemical side – I have written President Conant for advice regarding the choice of this man.

In order to carry on an intensive attack on the haemoglobin problem, I have been contemplating applying to you for a larger grant for next year than our present one of ten thousand dollars annually. The only alternative would be to cut down on the more fundamental investigations. I feel that this would be very short-sighted, inasmuch as nearly all of the methods we plan to apply to the haemoglobin problem have been developed during the last three years, and we can count on discovering others by continuing the fundamental work on simpler substances. What is your advice regarding this?

My wife and I are hoping that you will visit Pasadena again, and that we can entertain you at dinner.

Very Sincerely Yours,

Linus Pauling