Document nBG5zKMdDRq9prkd7Jq1jQRG

April 2>, 1949 Dr . 2 . Franklin Yeager, Division of Research Grants and Fellovships, National Institute of Health, Bethesda 14, Maryland. Re: EG-1970 Dear Doctor Yeager: I regret very much the prolonged delay in my reply to your letter of April 4 in connection vith the research project outlined by Doctor Frank Prfnci . I have been compelled to be out of my office for some ten days, and all of m y correspondence has accumulated. I have no hesitation whatever vith respect to the qualifications of Doctor Princi arjd his group for the prosecution of the work proposed. It will be done 'systematically, critically and veil. The only question relates to the need for the work proposed. Doctor Princi is quite right, in m y opinion, in pointing out that there is no adequate information vith respect to the occurrence of basophilic stippling of the! erythrocytes in disease processes in general. It Is v e l L known thb-t such erythrocytes occur in the blood of normal individuals, vithin certain limits, and that they occur in increased numbers' in certain types of dise a s e s . The extent of their occurrence and tpe vide variety of disease Is not knovn, and one may properly ask hov important it is to knov sc much about this one type of formed element in the peripheral blood stream. We have been making observa tions, vith specific reference to apparently normal persons, and persons in the lead trades for many years, and ve quite agree vith Doctor Princi that there Is great confusion In the minds of medical men as to the significance of the stippling in relation to lead absorption and lead poisoning. The facts In the matter are much clearer than menfs minds, and I am not vholly convinced that the clearest elucidation of the facts vill dispel the confusion of thought The present medical procedure, vith respect to observations on stippled erythrocytes in connection vith lead absorption, Is not based on any very great doubt as to the facts on this specific point, but rather on tradition and prejudice. Despite the abovd remarks, I vould like very much to see the work done which Doctor Princi proposes . With respect to the lead problem his results "111 certainly confirm the observations made in this Laboratory, many jof which are unpublished, and would, at the same time; extend the investigation veil beyond the field with which we have dealt, ! Sincerely yours, h ob er t A . Xeho e , M > *