16 
All that had happened is not indicated in the written records, but some- 
thing like the following occurred; prior to October 16, written information 
about the Heart Council and Planning Committee meetings, including their 
consideration of the proposed primate program, had been sent routinely to 
the Office of the Director of the NIH, but evidently there had not been a 
special conference on the subject between the Directors of the NHI and NIH. 
However, about this time, such a conference or conferences took place. 
At these conferences, the Office of the Director, NIH, demonstrated little 
enthusiasm for the proposed primate program and none for a single major 
primate station. The only basis on which the primate program could get 
acceptance and backing at the NIH level would be for a plan to be developed 
for several regional centers rather than a single major national station as 
was being proposed. This was at a time when the NIH was attempting to develop 
a program of regional centers (e.g., computer and animal resource centers), 
in which Dr. Shannon had become much interested. 
As indicated above, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee had asked the Heart 
Institute for a statement documenting the nature of the proposed primate 
colony. Subsequently, the Institute was asked to prepare a similar statement 
for the House Appropriations Subcommittee for presentation at its hearings 
on the Fiscal Year 1960 budget. This is the "Congressional mandate" mentioned 
by Dr. Watt to the Council's Organization Committee. 
At the Heart Council's November 1958 meeting. Dr. Burch reported on the October 
16 meeting of his committee, stating that the committee had "definitely con- 
cluded, in response to a question from Congress, that such a station is both 
feasible and desirable." Also that "the committee has in the past and will 
coatLnue in the future to receive favorable advice from Dr. Eyestone (a veter- 
inarian). Chief, Laboratory Aids Branch, DRS,-^ at the NIH, on the organization 
of a primate station. The committee feels that to facilitate progress at this 
stage of planning, the station should primarily be a Heart activity, and that 
at some later date other interests could be included." 
The Council accepted this report and the committee's suggestions. It recommen- 
ded a grant-^ in the amount of $67,275 for the first year and $65,550 for the 
second year to Dr. Burch, chairman, to implement the planning of the organiza- 
tional structure, physical plant, and geographic location of a primate research 
station. By this action, the Heart Council charged this one committee with 
the two functions of geographical and organizational planning for which two 
separate committees had been suggested earlier. 
Dr. Watt informed the Heart Council (June 1959 meeting) that although the 
Council in response to a request from the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee 
23 / There was also a meeting on March 12, 1959^ of Drs. Burch, Watt, Eyestone, 
and Yeager with Dr. Shannon, who favored multiple regional primate research 
centers rather than a large national primate research station. 1 
24 / Division of Research Services. i 
25/ Fiscal Year 1959 funds, 
■( 
