Room 9N-119, Bldg. 10

October 24, 1973

Dr. Debi Bum - Dr. Neharani Burma
Department of Biochemistry
Institute of Medical Sciences
Banaras Hindu University
Varanas i-5, India

Dear Maharani and Debi:

First let me tell you that I received a most delightful letter from Freddie
with greetings for Viiava. It was beautifully written and illustrated and
thoroughly en joyed !

We had a call from Fogarty center e while back saying that the Summary of
your report was too long for the 200 words alloted to the computerized record.
Koteswara revised and shortened it and we hope it meets with your approval.
A copy of both original and new version is  enclosed.

The move to the Cancer Institute involves only my own group frm the present
Section. Bob Goldberger, also now in Arthritis Institute, will become the
Lab Chief in Cancer Institute. My group will be expanded to include Claude
Klee as an independent investigator.
polynucleotide phosphorylase. So far the time of the move is not set as it
involves several other moves before the space is cleared for us. I am hoping
it: will be early spring.

Needless to say we are distressed that there has been no progress between
the two governments with regard to agreement dn the PL-480 matter. Science
suffers while the diplomats discourse. But in view of the general situation,
that matter seems small. We are of course very concerned with the war in
the middle-east. And the year-long agonies of our Government get worse
and worse each day.  Never in the two-hundred years of the Republic has
there been anything like this and where it will end is anyone's guess.

In the meantime I'll mention another problem--outlined  in the enclosed
newspaper clipping.  There is really a need for some effort on the part of
Indian scholars to inforni the Government of India as to the problems raised
by such policies. I have also sent a copy of this to Pushpa.

We are moving along slowly in the lab. Hopefully it is progress but we are
not always sure. Koteswar may have some interesting observations. Using
toluenized cells (E. coli) he seems to have a PNPased catalyzed addition of
poly A sequences to a preexisting RNA.  The RNA itself is a very tiny percent
of total cellular RNA, which at least allows the possibility of something
interesting. His SV-40 work is alow--for scientific reasons. Our defectives
behave differently in Bethesda than they did in Rehovot.  We're trying to
sott it all out. Very best to both of you, the family, and the lab.

She will be going back to work on

S incere ly ,

Ends .
MS : peg

Maxine S inger