January 12, 1973

Or. Frederick W. Fochtman
Toxicology Laboratories
Duquesne University
School of Pharmacy
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219

hear Dr. Fochtman,

  X note with interest your paper on "Toxicity of the Genus
Dieffenbachia", Toxicology and Applid Pharmacology 15:38-45, 1969.
Hy main interest in following up  the work of Madaus and Koch 1941
is for the documentatfon of a monstrous abuse of scientific
'knowledge. May I ask you if there has been any otTher work on I>. seguine
and with particular reference to its effects on &&matogenesis?
Looking at the 1941 paper I am a little surprised *at the conclusion
that the entire effect can be so non-epecific although you may wish
to offer some further comment on that possibility. Do you know whether
anyone has looked at the seguine species in a more recent and more
scientific fashion to determine whether its toxic constituents may
be different from those in picta and exotica?

  Knowing some of the history of thle subject I find it difficult
to retain my scientific objectivity in framing such questions but I
think these are the ones that would be asked if the question had arisen
in a more neutral context.

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

JL/rr