105 
"Genetic Engineering" by Rene Dubos, 
Times , April 21, 1977. Copyright © 
Reprinted by permission. 
Genetic engineering is not new. It 
began in 1930 — almost half a century 
ago — when a technique was developed 
at The Rockefeller Institute Hospital 
to modify in the test tube the heredi- 
tary characteristics of the microbes 
that cause lobar pneumonia. This 
achievement led to the demonstration 
that the substance now known as DNA 
(deoxyribonucleic acid) is the carrier 
of heredity. 
(Although I was present at the birth 
of genetic engineering, 1 never worked 
in the field and can only marvel at 
the new techniques of recombinant 
DNA that now make it possible to 
transfer genes from any kind of living 
thing to any other kind) 
In reality, it is misleading to state 
that "scientists are now able to create 
new forms of life." The genetic en- 
gineering of today means only the 
introduction into fairly simple mi- 
crobes of a few genes derived either 
from other microbes or from higher 
forms of life, including man. However, 
the very fact that such genetic com- 
bination is possible has created hope 
and anguish — hope that the technique 
will be used to beneficial purposes, 
anguish at the thought that it might 
generate new diseases and lead to the 
manipulation of human nature. 
For a long time, 1 had a quasi- 
religious hostility to experiments com- 
bining genes from different organisms, 
because I felt that this was contrary 
to the ways of nature. Like other bi- 
ologists, I used to believe that gene ex- 
change does not take place in nature, 
except during sexual conjugation be- 
tween creatures of the same species. I 
new realize, however, that genetic ex- 
change occurs frequently under nat- 
ural conditions. For example, harmless 
bacteria readily incorporate gene frag- 
ments from other bacteria and thus 
become able to produce toxins, to re- 
sist antibiotics, to cause cancer in 
plants. 
Contrariwise, virulent bacteria can 
lose the genes that make them dan- 
gerous. It is likely that bacteria also 
can incorporate DNA fragments from 
the animals and plants in which they 
reside. 
Since gene exchange occurs widely 
in nature, I now feel that it is proper 
to do it experimentally under con- 
trolled conditions. 
Even though human genes can be 
incorporated into bacteria and other 
organisms, changing human nature by 
genetic engineering seems to me im- 
possible except perhaps for the cor- 
rection of a few genetic maladies. 
quoted in entirety from The New York 
1977 by the New York Times Company. 
Furthermore, my long experience in 
the field of infectious diseases has 
convinced me that laboratory tech- 
niques are most unlikely to produce 
strains of microbes that will start 
worldwide epidemics of new forms of 
disease. Billions upon billions of mi- 
crobes exist everywhere in nature, con- 
stantly undergoing genetic changes, 
yet only very few can cause disease, 
and even then only when conditions 
are just right. 
The great epidemics of the past and 
the increase in certain forms of cancer 
among us can be traced more to en- 
vironmental factors than to new strains 
of microbes or viruses. For example, 
the severity of the 1918 flu pandemic 
was largely due to the conditions cre- 
ated by World War I. 
I doubt that gene recombination in 
the laboratory will create microbes 
more virulent than those endlessly 
being created by natural processes. 
In any case, we know a great deal 
about handling dangerous microbes. 
I have been in daily contact on small- 
pox, rabies, typhus, plague, cholera, 
tuberculosis, etc.,, yet have witnessed 
very few laboratory infections and 
never one responsible for starting an 
epidemic. 
Like all human enterprises, genetic 
engineering may entail some unpre- 
dictable risk. I can only state that this 
is an acceptable risk because the po- 
tential benefits are large and the dan- 
gers purely hypothetical. Needless to 
say, countries will differ concerning 
what they regard as an acceptable 
risk. Some ban DDT and saccharin; 
others consider that the benefits de- 
rived from these substances justify 
their use. 
The American people may decide 
that the safest course is a moratorium 
on DNA recombinant research, or regu- 
lations limiting it to a few institutions. 
Such policies would paralyze research 
in the United States but would not 
affect it in other countries. 
DNA recombinant research will go 
carried out almost anywhere because 
it requires only simple equipment, un- 
less put into a cumbersome strait- 
jacket by unreasonable safety measures. 
DNA recombinant research will go 
on in many places for several reasons. 
It enables even poor countries to en- 
gage in the most sophisticated field 
of biological science. It promises prac- 
tical applications in medicine, agri- 
culture and industry. It is one of the 
most exciting areas of knowledge, with 
large philosophical and scientific im- 
plications for the understanding of life. 
