11 September 1978 
The Honorable Joseph Califano 
Secretary, D.H.E.W. 
200 Independence Ave., S.W. 
Room 615F 
South Portal Bldg. 
Washington, D.C. 20201 
Dear Mr. Secretary, 
Given the fact that it is almost traditional for the 
Secretary of H.E.W. to receive brickbats, I thought I should 
send a brief note with kudos. I have just finished reading the 
rules for recombinant D.N.A. research. 
Without a doubt all sorts of people will be dissatisfied with 
a decimal point here and there. In toto, however, it is a first 
rate job which will stand science in excellent stead. A very 
volatile subject has been defused with prudence and common sense, 
without impeding the forward movement of this important work. You 
and your department deserve the highest praise for taking us into 
the modern research era of freedom of inquiry with a balancing of 
public interest in safety. It is a job very well done. 
Sincerely yours. 
Georgetown University 
AEH/ch 
[A-106] 
