April 4, 1945

Dr. H. B. Sweatt, Director

Animal Glue Information Service

55 West 42nd Street

New York 18, New York

Dear Dr. Sweatt:

Several of my colleagues and I are interested in the field referred to in your letter of March 9. Professor Carl Niemann, for example, was associated some years ago with Dr. Bergmann of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in the development of an interesting new theory of the ordering of immunoacids in protein. Dr. H. B. Corey and I have for some time been carrying on fundamental studies of protein structure, with use of X-ray methods and other techniques. Recently Professor Dan H. Campbell and I, in collaboration with other members of our department, have been modifying gelatin by chemical treatment in order to produce a material for use as a plasma substitute. We also have an extensive program under way on the properties of the protein materials which constitute antibody.

After the war it is probable that these investigations will be continued, with still greater attention to the fundamental problems of protein structure.

I trust that this answers the question which you asked in your letter.

Very truly yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:fh

cc to Dr. Dan H. Campbell