Document aLBLer2Qw4vYw6LByXw8ox5N

Septeraberl9, 1960 James M. MacMillan, M.D. Reynolds' Medical Director Dear Jims ... I spoke to you very briefly some time ago about our plans for the enlargement of the facilities of The Kettering Laboratory, and told you that I would write you. For a variety of reasons, the most important of which was an uncertainty as to the cost of the enterprise, X postponed correspondence. We are now at the point of both certainty and action and, therefore, I initiate the latter by this letter. If you and your people wish to talk with me about the subject, I shall make myself available at a mutually convenient time. If it can be handled by correspondence, on the other hand, I shall be glad to respond with any information that may be desired. The present situation and its background may be stated in brief. We became aware of the stern necessity of more space and of certain specific facilities about two and a half years ago. At that time we made a survey of the Laboratory and its operations, made changes that gave some immediate relief, and looked carefully at our needs. These can be categorized briefly, as follows:- (1) Increased space for animal experimentation, occasioned by changes in the requirements of the principal sponsors of our work (long term feeding experiments associated with the procedures of the Food and Drug Administration of the federal government, as well as other prolonged experi ments involving considerable numbers of animals, tie up space for two years at a time, and greatly limit the activities of the staff). (2) Facilities for the use of radioactive tracers in metabolic research, and for the investigation of the biological effects of exposure to radiation were Inadequate both qualitatively and quantitatively. (3) With the growth of the staff in response to the multiplication of experimental fields and techniques, general laboratory space was in short supply. (4) The need for a small auditorium for holding post-graduate seminars and conferences of a variety of kinds had become all too evident. (5) The work for the Coroner of Hamilton County had grown in scope, and the County Commissioners had requested that, if possible, the entire activity, including a suitable morgue and post-mortem laboratory facilities be established, when feasible, in the Kettering Laboratory (at the expense of Hamilton County) . N9852 James M. MacMillan, M.D 2 September 19, .I960 (6) Additional space for library and bibliographic work was urgently needed. (7) Graduate training in Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene had come to be established functions of the Laboratory, had developed well and required both space and added facilities in the form of graduate student laboratories. In view of these needs, which had to be dealt.wlth seriously unless we should decide deliberately to back off from some of our apparently relevant develop ments, we undertook to set down the requirements for meeting them, in terms of floor space and lay-out, in close co-ordination with present facilities. The tentative plans, with but little eye to future extensive developments (we believe we can live within the expanded facilities for quite some time to come, except for out-patient and in-hospital clinical facilities, which are . in a different category), were put into the hands of an architect, and were developed in collaboration with the appropriate administrative authorities of the University. Much time and effort went into the final drawings and specifications, which were completed last month, and submitted for bids,.which are now at hand. The total sum involved, including various types of fixed and movable equipment, comes to about $1,400.000.00. While these matters were being worked out, I consulted various sponsors whose relationship to the Laboratory had been established long ago, and who could be counted on for advice and some measureof support. I also dealt with some of our local sources of support. From these sources, I learned - or as it seemed - that this development could probably be financed in the sane manner as our previous developments - that is, out of contributions from industry. Nevertheless, I Sounded out some of the responsible people in the U.S. Public Health Service as to the likelihood of a grant of matching funds; if such were required, and received a favorable anser. Funds have been pledged or actually contributed at present, from strictly industrial sources to the extent of $260,000.00; Hamilton County has agreed to supply $200,000.00 toward their part of the facilities; and an anonymous (for the present) gift of $100,000.00 has been pledged, three-fourth3 to be paid before January 1961, and one-fourth afterward. This means, if I have my wishes fulfilled,'that $580,000.00 are to be obtained from twelve to fifteen major sponsors (including your Company) and about twenty minor contributors I include Reynolds Metals Company as a major sponsor for two reasons, the one being that we have done a great deal of work on problems of immediate interest to Reynolds, and would expect to continue in this relationship; the other lies in the fact that your Company has made no previous investment in the facilities of The Kettering Laboratory, these having been provided by other industrial organizations to the benefit of Reynolds. I do not suggest by the remark above that I consider that Reynolds Metals Company is in debt to The Kettering Laboratory. Rather, I wish merely to indicate my view to the effect that since this facility has been provided in toto at the expense of our industrial sponsors, it has been, thus far, an expression of the interest of American industry in the health and well being of its employees. I wish this to continue, but this can be done only if industrial organizations share in the provision of facilities somewhat James li. MacMillan, M.D 3 September 19, 1960 m the proportion of their.share in the benefits derived therefrom. As I see it, what we do is done for industry in much the same manner as a physician undertakes to serve his patients, individually and collectively. Our services consist of research, advice and service, and - almost as important - training of professional personnel. Since this has been our position in the past, and since this is a position which I wish to maintain, I do not want to have to go to the government for financial support. I want to retain our position as being allied, professionally, with American industry, and to have, so to speak, one foot in industry and the other in a publicly responsible institution - the University< For these reasons I bespeak the Interest of Reynolds Metals Company in our present and future, in our plans for the improvement of our facilities, and in our ability to be responsive to its future needs. We have not, in the past, nor shall we, in the future, take the position that those who have aided in the provision of our facilities are, alone, entitled to our services. We shall, however, have a degree of responsibility to see that those who exert themselves in our behalf, shall have no difficulty in finding their way to our door. '^ By way of providing a few pertinent facts let me outline them briefly. The present facilities of the Laboratory were provided in the following manner. The first,wing was completed in 1930 at an approximate cost of $136,000.00 contributed by three industries. Equipment or Other facilities, costing about $25,000.00 were added by various industrial sponsors in the interim between 1930 and 1941, at which time a small addition and considerable remodeling were financed by a single industrial sponsor. Up to 1949, additional equipment, valued at about $40,000.00 was added, and in 1949 a new wing was completed at a cost of about $600,000.00. Fifteen industrial sponsors contri buted the bulk of this in svims ranging from $10,000.00 to $250,000;00, and $65,000.00 was contributed anonymously by individual friends of the laboratory, who, for one reason or another, preferred not to be named. Since 1949, some what more than $200,000.00 have been contributed by various sponsors, including certain governmental agencies, in the form of equipment. - We have at present approximately:4Q, 000 square feet of floorjspace which cost about $750,000.00, plus equipment which cost nearly $400,000.00. - Both building and equipment have been maintained in an excellent state, so that the appreciated value of the present plant is at least $1,500,000.00. The addition, which is to join the present building at a right angle is designed to provide 48,000 square feet of new space (some for storage) distributed through four and one half floors (top floor about half enclosed and with reduced height of ceiling). The bids for this building, less architects' fees and movable equipment,, including furniture, add up to $1,216,000.00, at a cost of a little more than $25,00 per square foot. The latter I consider to be fairly modest, under present conditions, representing a very careful choice of materials and facilities by botn ourselves and the architect. : In view of the fact that there is no more readily available space on the grounds of the Medical College, this represents a more or less final settlement of the James M. MacMillan, M.D 4** t September 19, 960 physical scope of The Kettering Laboratory. It is, we believe, a realistic and necessary expression of our present needs, and we believe that we have had sufficient experience to enable us to Judge what the immediate and reasonably imminent future holds for us and our work. This is a long and somewhat detailed letter, despite my effort to be ~>rief. It covers what it seems likely that your people will' wish to know -n considering what their action might be. As I Indicated in another letter to you, I have considered this t o b e a matter for the consideration of your people without reference to their relationship to other participants in the fluoride project. For your information, however, I have brought this to the attention of the Kaiser people on two fronts (those concerned with steel and aluminum) since we have had dealings with both. Alcoa contributed in 1949 and I hope they will do so again in 1960. Monsanto has- contributed on both occasions, without reference to the fluoride- problem". If there are other questions,.including the matter of what might be regarded as an appropriate cpntribution, in consideration of those of others, I shall be prepared to comment. This I shall do only on. request, however, for it is for your Company to decide, in view of its expectations of seeking our help, wnat it.-may feel it wise to do. . . - I conclude by remarking that my attitude in this matter is not that of one who is seeking philanthropic support in a good cause. I have-reason to believe that it has been a good investment, at least-for some of our sponsors, to have provided us with the tools for investigating some of their problems. Perhaps we have not always succeeded in our purpose. Perhaps the yield has not always been-as much as it should have been. In the main, our efforts have been reasonably, effective, and our skill, as well as our influence, has grown with the years. I see no reason why this should not continue to be the case. In this latter connection some concern has been expressed by some of our sponsors as to what will .happen when I retire. It is not modesty that prompts me to say.that, in say view, this is not a matter that presents insur mountable difficulties., We are approaching it realistically in advance by discussions among ourselves, with the responsible officials of the University, and with certain of our sponsors. Indeed, so well along is the consideration of this matter that I would not mention it but for the fact that several of my friends and friends of the Laboratory have raised the issue. Sincerely yours, ! IAK: ss Robert A. Kehoe, in . JD.