Thursday night

Dearest little love:

Your two letters arrived today to make me happy. I am glad that you are having fun with Linus - but what a shame that you underwent such an excruciating experience on the train! I hope that you had a seat. I should have written to Phoebe to get a ticket and reserved seat for you. I traveled on the same train a few months ago, and had no trouble (I rode in the coach), although the train was crowded - but of course Sunday is a worse day.

I hope that Liny doesn't make trouble for himself by being antagonistic. He must learn to put himself in the other person's place, and to understand the variety of past experiences and natures which caused people to behave in various ways.

The weather has been mild here - I went to dinner with the Tolman's and their brother Ed at their house last night, and had a fine time. I borrowed Richard's rain coat to come home in, because it rained. Today has been rather cool - my suit is none too warm.

The special trip was to have been about a new, important, and highly secret problem, not to be mentioned to anyone. But I have had an idea as to solve it, and shall work on it at home.

Today I talked to Richards, who is a fine old fellow, about an oxypolygelatin and about the blood substitute problem in general. The great need is in China, where they have no plasma for the Chinese. Some gelatin solution is being sent over; but I think that our oxypolygelatin, perhaps in 10% solution, would be better - and perhaps it could be made in China, from materials send [sic] by plane - a 20-fold saving in space.

In the afternoon I went to the Pentagon, and then on to Milt and Dorcas's. Milt has not worked for six weeks - he had an attack of Bell's palsy, which paralyzed the left side of his face. He has recovered somewhat, but it is still noticeable.

He was planning to give some money (50 or 100$ each) to each member of the family + get a release of any claim to the duplex. I urged him not to do so - if his legal rights are satisfactory, he needs no releases, and to try to get them is to invite trouble; also, I think that he may need the money himself later. Dorcas is well + chipper.

I love you, darling. I'll be glad to see you and Liny.

Your own

Paddy

Hasn't the news been wonderful? Yesterday, in one day, Romania, Paris, Marseille!