Interview with John T. Edsall. November 1, 1991. Interview by Thomas Hager for use in "Force of Nature: The Life of Linus Pauling,"
(Simon & Schuster, 1995).
John Edsall: No, I was very much aware of Dorothy Wrinch, and knew her somewhat. Her life was
rather a tragic one in various ways. She had a brilliant mind, I think, but she unfortunately
got obsessed with her particular model of proteins, which was aesthetically very elegant,
but really had nothing to do with proteins as it turned out. I did feel, incidentally,
that Pauling treated her rather too harshly.
Thomas Hager: Can you tell me in what way?
John Edsall: Well, he really, his papers just rejecting her work were written in a more aggressive
tone then I would have felt - I kind of felt they were unnecessarily rather unkind
and he could have put her down effectively, but in using somewhat gentler language
than he did. Also, well, I think that was probably correct...he warned the Rockefeller
Foundation that he felt that she was not getting anywhere in her research, and recommended
that they should not continue to support her, I think.
Clip
Creator: Thomas Hager, John T. Edsall Associated: Dorothy Wrinch, Linus Pauling, Rockefeller Foundation Clip ID: hager2.001.5-wrinch
