The University of Chicago

July 1^st, 1941

6020 Drexel Ave

Chicago, Illinois

Dear Dr. Addis:

Yesterday our patient weighed 168 pounds! This is a loss of twenty pounds since May 20th when he weighed 188. The edema just doesn't exist - it has been evaporated by this fiendish weather here which leaves one gasping in the middle of the night. However, the visiting lecturer likes it and certainly seems to be in good shape - but I can't help but be a little anxious.

The quantity of urine has been high for the past six or eight weeks, too - we don't keep accurate measurements any more but in general the amount stays from 1500 to 1850 or so daily.

Should he not have a bit more salt? One perspires here literally day and night - I believe I'll increase the salt intake to 2 grams say or at most 2 ½.

The diet has remained exactly as it was with the exception of 1 cube of jack cheese (from Mexico) which we analyzed and found it to have only 175 mg per 5 grams protein - i.e. a cube 1" etc. I happened to remember this cheese along about the middle of May (May 26th) and Linus had been so fond of it that I was eager to include it in his diet if the salt content permitted it. He has had a cube of this practically every day since and enjoys it heartlily [sic]! His general condition seems excellent and his spirit is extremely good.

If I have decided incorrectly about the salt will you write or wire? Otherwise we’ll carry on and look forward to seeing you the end of this month.

Linus didn’t see Dr. McMillan in June because he was away and then the end of the term and our trip here kept him very occupied.

I’m sorry to bother you with this. I must mention, too that I decreased the calories since Linus really was getting fat when the calories were around 3000 to 3500 - so then I kept them down to around 2000-2500. I will increase them again or rather be sure that they are around 2500.

Hastily,

Ava Helen Pauling

Linus' weight has been 165 pound for the past twenty years with the exception of this last year.