Letter from Linus Pauling to M.J. Buerger. May 27, 1947. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Letter from Alfred Black to LP RE: Informs LP that black and Charles Hardin have been made trustees of an estate of over $1.5 million to be used for the care and prevention of cancer, in the name of a group known as the Black-Stevenson Foundation. Mentions that LP's name was suggested for help in determining the handling of these funds. (Note in pencil in top margin: “Copy sent LP 6/5/47 Answered by LP while in England.) [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #37.14, file:(B: Correspondence 1947)]
• Letter from Carl A. Lohmann to LP RE: Is delighted to learn that LP will in New Haven to receive an honorary degree and present a Silliman lecture in October. [LP's letter: May 19, 1947] [Filed under: LP Speeches, 1947s.19]
• Letter from Dr. Maxim Bing to LP RE: Thanks him for the reprints and informs him of his current interests in stereochemistry. [Letter from LP to Bing August 4, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #37.14, file:(B: Correspondence 1947)]
• Letter from J. David Chalfant to LP RE: Asks LP to offer comments on his manuscript “An Hypothesis on the Structure of the Universe” which has been rejected by scientific journals for being “too speculative.” [Letter from LP to Chalfant August 5, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence Box: #74.15, file:(C: Correspondence, 1946)]
• Letter from Janet MacRorie, W.H. Freeman and Co., to Beatrice Wulf, RE: MacRorie has sent on a newspaper clipping for Wulf to add to the publicity file for LP's "General Chemistry." [Filed under LP Manuscripts of Books, 1947b4.6.]
• Letter from LP to Dr. Lindsay Helmholz, Department of Chemistry, Washington University (St. Louis), RE: Thanks him for the notes, which he will look over while he is traveling in England and Sweden this summer. Regrets that he will be unable to stop in St. Louis on the way due to time constraints. [Letter from Helmholz to LP May 10, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #156.2, file:(Helmholz, Lindsay)]
• Letter from LP to Frank Aydelotte RE: Reports that AHP has already enrolled Crellin and Linda in schools at Oxford but the situation of Peter at Cal Tech remains unclear - he has been admitted but they have not agreed to the plan to allow him to study independently for two terms in England. Regrets that he will be unable to stop by in June as he has agreed to attend a conference prior to leaving New York on the fifth. [Letter from Aydelotte to LP May 23, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #6.21, file:(Aydelotte, Frank, 1940-1956) and copy in #299.8 (Oxford University, [re: Eastman professorship and residency in Oxford] 1946-1948)]
• Letter from LP to M.J. Buerger. [Letter from Buerger to LP June 2, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #33.4, file:(Buerger, M.J., 1938, 1940, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1956)]

  May 27, 1947

  Professor M. J. Buerger

  Department of Mineralogy

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Cambridge, Massachusetts

  Dear Professor Buerger:

  I have been thinking about the desirability of some of the proposed changes in the International Tables for the Determination of Crystal Structures which will probably be discussed at the Ste. Marguerite meeting. One possible change which has been suggested seems to me to be a step in the wrong direction, namely, a change from 230 to 219 space groups by dropping the independent description of eleven of the enantiomorphic groups. Since I am leaving shortly for England and will be unable to attend the Ste. Marguerite meeting I am writing you my thoughts in the matter.

  Several very strong arguments - mathematical, historical, and pedagogical - indicate the desirability of retaining 230 independent space groups. Professor E. T. Bell has stated that from the standpoint of the mathematician the right-handed and left-handed enantiomorphic groups are distinct despite the fact that they are isomorphous and are transformed one into the other by an affine transformation. From the historical side, I recall that Schoenflies in 1891, Niggli in 1919, Wyckoff in 1922 and again in 1930, Seitz between 1934 and 1936, and Zachariasen in 1944 have all published detailed treatments of space group theory in which 230 distinct space groups appear. Many text books and other works which will be valuable sources for reference for many years to come contain tabulations describing 230 space groups. In presenting the derivation of 230 space groups to students we are able to derive the enantiomorphic groups by the same exhaustive and rigorous procedures which are used for the derivation of the other groups. It is then unnecessary to introduce any ad hoc principle to provide for the exclusion of the right- or left-handed groups on the ground that by a particular experiment - namely, the x-ray experiment - they are indistinguishable.

  From the scientific standpoint it seems to me shortsighted to assume that structures based upon enantiomorphic space groups will remain forever indistinguishable.

  Sincerely Yours,

  Linus Pauling

• Letter from W. H. Freeman, W. H. Freeman and Company to Professor Winstein, Department of Chemistry, University of California RE: Agrees that his schedule of research and writing as well as teaching is most important for him, and says that their chemistry series needs an organic chemistry text book from U.C.L.A. Suggests they think how to resolve this to the satisfaction of themselves, LP, and himself. [Filed under LP Correspondence: 439.5]
• Letter from W.H. Freeman, W.H. Freeman and Co., to Stuart Brinkley, Yale University, RE: Freeman thanks Brinkley for his letter. He says that the printing of LP's text has been postponed a couple weeks. In answer to Brinkley's question, Freeman points out that several chapters would be too advanced for Brinkley's class but that the beginning of the book and the introductory sections should be well suited. [Filed under LP Manuscripts of Books, 1947b5.1]
• Telegrams from LP to Dr's Karl Paul Link and Homer Adkins, University of Washington; Dr's Alfred Mirsky and Herbert S. Gasser, Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, Dr. John Northrop, Rockefeller Institute, Dr. Joseph S. Fruton, Yale University Medical School, Dr. Homer W. Smith, New York University Medical School, Dr. C.S. Marvel, University of Illinois, RE: Request they send their opinions of Stanford Moore in regards to a permanent appointment at Cal Tech. [Telegrams from Link et al to LP May 28, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #255.14, file:(M: Correspondence, 1947)]
• Writes cheque to "Dunnings," $38.76. [Filed under LP Biographical: Business and Finance, Box 4.018, Folder 18.2]
• Writes cheque to "Leota Weigel," $86.08. [Filed under LP Biographical: Business and Finance, Box 4.018, Folder 18.2]
• Writes cheque to “Am Chem Soc. ½ of Dec Index, CA” $25.00 [LP Biographical: Business and Financial 4.073, folder 73.6]
• Writes cheque to “Diploma Fere? For Linda” $3.50 [LP Biographical: Business and Financial 4.073, folder 73.5, item 2]
• Writes cheque to “Don Sharp. Union Stn (Only 5.20 for carb)” $23.56 [LP Biographical: Business and Financial 4.073, folder 73.5, item 2]
• Writes cheque to “Sue” $8.00 [LP Biographical: Business and Financial 4.073, folder 73.5, item 2]