October 14, 1968

Mrs. John Taylor

1229 Via Barranca

La Jolla, Calif. 92037

Dear Carrie:

I am pleased that you are willing to participate in our research program on the biochemistry of ascorbic acid.

There is a report in the literature indicating that under some conditions a new equilibrium with respect to ascorbic acid is reached only after more than 120 days. I do not know whether this applies to the change in physiological state resulting from stopping the smoking of cigarettes.

Would you call Mrs. Sue Oxley, Room 4409, Bonner Hall, telephone 453-2000, extension 2160, and find out at what time she would want you to come to receive the ascorbic acid tablet and provide the urine samples? She will want to know your body weight first, so that she can prepare the sample of the proper size.

We should like to make a test once a week, for two or three weeks, while you are continuing to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day, and are leading your usual life, with respect to food and vitamin intake. Then you should stop smoking completely, keeping your intake of food and vitamins the same as before. The ascorbic acid tests would then be resumed, one per week, and continued until it is clear that a steady state has been reached. At the present time I think that it might take about two months to reach the steady state.

I am eager to have these experimental results, and I am grateful to you for being willing to cooperate.

Sincerely,

Linus

LP:jj

P. S. I am asking my secretary to sign this letter, in order that you will receive it without delay.