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introduction of a recombinant DNA on R factor, which renders certain strains 
of E. coli resistant to certain anitbiotics. 
Now, this has posed a few clinical problems, but not to the extent that 
was perhaps envisioned when this discovery was first made at least a decade 
ago. I don't think we can ignore the rather low-key statement that Dr. 
Hogness made, that he has literally worked with tens of thousands of E. coli 
into which recombinant DNA has been introduced without having any difficulty. 
Indeed, the risk of laboratory accidents that I see or that I hear 
about are much more likely to be with chemicals or the physical means of 
laboratory techniques than with microbiological techniques. And indeed, if 
one follows even some of the excellent procedures outlined by Dr. Barkley, 
much of the hazard that we envision from these organisms will not be 
apparent. 
Finally, I just want to say a word about the risk of this happening in 
high school laboratories. My teenage son goes to a very high-class, I might 
say, expensive and sophisticated high school, and while he knows about re- 
combinant DNA — as a matter of fact they do teach this material in his senior 
biology course — experimentally they haven't progressed much above the level 
of making cheese from goat's milk, which is very dangerous to the olfactory 
system, but otherwise quite a simple procedure. 
So I think that the point that has been made — that the technology in 
high schools, to have this a regular exercise, is available — it simply isn't, 
for no other reason than it is too expensive for the average high school to 
do it. 
I think the things that are going on here are terribly important, but I 
simply wanted to make these remarks as one who has worked in the field of 
clinical microbiology and infectious disease for 25 years, and who has sur- 
vived it reasonably well, and to point out to you that we are all pretty 
well constituted, and that the hazards are the potential hazards of what we 
are talking about, and they may not be as great because the good Lord made 
us what we are. 
MR. HUTT: I have one specific question without responding, but I would 
like to return to the questions that have been raised. 
The specific question is how many P3 facilities are there in the coun- 
try? We heard there were 27 P4s, but we have not heard anything about the 
number of P3 facilities. 
DR. FREDRICKSON: Dr. Barkley? 
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