BLODGETT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 49506
May 1, 1972
Professor Linus Pauling
Chemistry Department
Stanford University
Stanford, California 94305
Dear Professor Pauling:
It was a pleasure to see you again personally 2 weeks ago at Michigan State University
and to hear you speak again.
I was stunned to hear in the question and answer period you, of all human beings,
accused of racism because you, like myself, urge mass screening and vigorous genetic
counseling against having children in ehterozygote S matings. The only hope of Black
Americans and others of th elimination of this dreadful disease as soon as possible
is by such methods. How pathetically confused the misguided zealots can be!!
I have enclosed a letter in LANCET which I wrote. I cite your work and also discuss
in the last paragraph two new possible methods of action of urea in sickling which
Dr. Murayama and I are now thinking about. Perhaps, if you find time, you may wish
to comment.
Paul Wolf tells me that your attention is now directed to prostaglandins and
their role in sickling. I feel certain that you will make major discoveries in this
direction.
I learned yesterday at the medical school at Wayne yesterday that you will be
the commencement speaker in May. I shall try to get to Detroit to hear you again.
I almost forgot to mention that you should also read the letter in LANCET on
page 901 by Dr. Friedmann who cites the toxic action of long term cyanate exposure
on kidney function. Cerami and Manning must reckon with this in their cyanate approach
to sickling.
I have enclosed a 35 mm photo of the EMMY which our TV documentary won. We all
believe that without your participation we never would have won it. I am having a
large color print made up for you for your archives as a memento and will send it
along later.
Most sincerely yours,
Robert M. Nalbandian, M.D.
