177 
On the one hand, you have been advised quite recently that J£. coli is 
the most desirable organism for this kind of study. On the other hand, you 
have been advised that it is certainly not the most desirable, and perhaps 
far from the most desirable organism. 
In trying to provide you with a starting point, I would like to mention 
that up the coast from here, if one sails, one soon encounters the Island 
of Newfoundland, which is separated from the mainland of Canada by a very 
narrow strait, the Strait of Belle Isle. The Strait of Belle Isle is a fog- 
ridden part of the water, yet the sailors up there sail it in dense fog with 
impunity — I have read. 
(Laughter. ) 
By listening to the surf on the left, and listening to the surf on the 
right, and when the surf on the left and the surf on the right are precisely 
equal, they know that they are charting a safe course. This analogy is, 
sir, the best advice I can give you right now. 
(Laughter. ) 
(Applause. ) 
DR. FREDRICKSON: That does explain the roaring in my ears. 
(Laughter. ) 
The chair would like now to take about 5 minutes himself, to indi- 
cate where it is we go from here, both in this meeting and following its 
adj ournment . 
In my opening remarks I noted that recombinant DNA experiments do bring 
to the fore certain problems in the public scrutiny of the process of basic 
science, and one need not repeat the suggestion that this field is indeed 
extraordinarily complex, but also that it appears to be vital that there be 
public awareness and understanding of the process. 
Now, yesterday's meeting, and I think this morning's thus far, have 
been very helpful. They have served to provide an airing of the issues. 
I think that all sides have been presented, and there has been opportunity 
for comment from both committee members and the public, and there has been, 
note, an opportunity for questioning of those who have spoken. 
We have thus created a public record of a hearing that supplements the 
proceedings of the NIH committee, and one that should assist in the process 
of establishing guidelines for this research. 
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