All Documents and Media

Letter from Linus Pauling to Robert D. Coghill. June 26, 1942.
Pauling states he believes Coghill's findings are not incompatible with his own theory and describes possible causes for discrepancies between the findings of the two men. He briefly discusses his work with Dan Campbell and describes his most recent work in the manufacturing of antibodies.

Transcript

June 26, 1942

Dr. Robert D. Coghill, Chief

Fermentation Division

Northern Regional Research Laboratory

Peoria, Illinois

Dear Dr. Coghill:

I am sorry that my answer to your letter of November 29, 1940 has been so long delayed. Because of a period of illness, I put a number of letters to one side, and have only now got around to answering them.

The work described in your letter and the accompanying reprint is very interesting. I feel, as do you, that your results are not incompatible with my theory of antibody structure. The variation in amount of destruction of antibody potency for different antisera probably is due, as you suggest, to differences in the stability of the antibody configuration.

You may have noticed the report of the work which Dr. Campbell and I have been doing on the manufacture of antibodies in vitro. Dr. Campbell has now tested a preparation of antiserum against Type I pneumococcus polysaccharide, and has found that it protects mice against Type I pneumonia.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:jr

Return to Document Page