The optimistic view is that random recombinants will not have enough 
survival advantage to propagate themselves? If this is so, then our current 
fears parallel earlier space engineering myths about meteoroid hazards and 
lunar landers being swallowed up in a thousand feet of moon dust. I sincerely 
hope things work out that way because no matter what you write into guidelines, 
recombinant technology now exists, and there will be unscrupulous people who 
will not resist the temptation to try anything with it. As in gun control 
legislation, honest individuals comply while crooks go on doing their usual 
business. Pandora's box seems to be full of all sorts of little packages 
If this new knowledge has the potential to reduce human suffering (e.g., 
genetic deletions as in muscular dystrophies, mental retardation, etc.) then 
I would want to see it applied to that end. However, I have the gut intuition 
that guideline controls aren't strict enough. Perhaps we should restrict the 
host organisms to the less adaptable, more specialized types. (there are un- 
certainties even here) . I think that there should be a restriction on the 
molecular weight of the DNA unit transferred to any host. This would reduce 
the number of genetic degrees of freedom dealt with. In no case should the 
host be of the ubiquitous type, non-pathogens included. Some if not all of 
this work might await development of a shuttle/orbital laboratory system. 
lately. 
John R. Wright 
Department of Physical Sciences 
Southeastern Oklahoma State University 
*meaning in the natural ecosystem. 
Appendix K — 177 
