November 1, 1968

Dr. Arthur Cherkin

Veterans Hospital

Sepulveda, California

Dear Art:

I am writing to ask if it would be possible for you to use the stored information about literature to find references for me about large doses of ascorbic acid in preventing or ameliorating the common cold. I have seen references to two or three investigations around 1940, in which it was reported by one group that 200 mg per day did not seem to have a significant effect, but other groups reported that a gram or more a day was of value in preventing or ameliorating colds.

I have been thinking that it might be worth while to arrange a good-sized double-blind test along this line, using University students.

We are making steady progress in our studies of the metabolism of various vitamins by different people.

Cordially,

Linus

LP: jj

November 15, 1968

Dr. Sergio De Carvallio

17616 S. Clark Blvd.

Bellflower, Cal. 90701

Dear Dr. Carvallio:

I return herewith your paper on aminoacyl residue pairing as the basis for antigen-antibody recognition.

I may say that in the course of the rather extensive work by my associates and me in this field some fifteen years ago we did not find any evidence for pairing of amino acid residues. We did, of course, show quite conclusively that there is complimentariness in structure of antigen and antibody.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling (Signed by Dr. Pauling's Secreatry in his absence)

LP:jj

Nature of the Chemical Bond

November 22, 1968

The Mössbauer effect gives information about electron density at the nucleus. One investigation (Boyhle, probably Phys. Rev. Letters about 1960) has given the electron density (of s electrons) for tin as largest in white tin, smaller in gray tin, and still smaller in triniobium tin.

I should check other results for possible mention in The Nature of the Chemical Bond.

November 22, 1968

Dr. Gustav Albrecht

271 East Loma Alta Drive

Altadena, California 91001

Dear Gus:

I am working on a problem of the structure of hydrated iron oxides, and in this connection the work of a man named Johansson (I think that this is the correct spelling) on the structure of some hydrated aluminum oxides containing also sulphate and selenate may be pertinent.

Would you look through the abstract journals for the past ten years to see if you can find any publications by this man on this subject, and make Xerox copies for me of those that you do?

It was a pleasure to see you looking so well. I hope that we shall be in Pasadena again before long, and can see you again.

Sincerely,

Linus

LP:jj

November 27, 1968

Mrs. Dorothy I. Cherr

1284H Hatteras St.

North Hollywood, Calif. 91607

Dear Mrs. Cherr:

In answer to your letter, I may say that I have read about the emission of x-radiation by some television sets, but I do not have definite information at nana.

It is my memory that some high-voltage television sets, especially certain color television sets, emit more x-radiation than is considered acceptable. I do not think that a five-year-old black and white set would be in this category.

I think that the radiation is soft enough (long enough wave length) to be absorbed in large amount by a few feet of air. It might be wise to get your children in the habit of sitting some distance back, eight or ten feet, from the set.

Sincerely,

Linus Pauling

LP:jj