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March 20, 1959 
Dear Dr. Schmitt: 
Your little note came Saturday rooming. I hoped there might 
he something from you this rooming, hut there wasn't, I*m very curious 
to know the result of your call on Blake at M.I.T, I realized the next 
rooming after you left that you had taken none of the papers with you, 
hut it was too late then to worry about iti I hope you gave the fellow 
a good shock and that you didn't get too kind-hearted and go easy on 
him! 
How did you enjoy your visit with J. Henry Blake? The two 
of you must have had a grand pow-wow. 
Bunker from the Carnegie was just in to see you. He has 
retired as editor for Carnegie and is now working on a project in which 
he is trying to trace the conversion of some chemical substance (he told 
me hut I don't remember— keretin, or something that sounds like that) 
produced by marine plants (algae) into the vitamin A concentrated in 
the liver of fishes. I sent him to Schultz and suggested that he see 
Conger, too. 
The first day you were gone, Friday, I had to chase Jane, out 
of here. I had some work in the machine that I wanted to finish, so I 
didn't say anything just at 4:30 and she didn't budge, I f inched at 
U:4o and spoke to her then about going and she said in an aggrieved tone 
of voice, "Well, I never will be able to makeup any time while Dr. 
Schmitt is away." I wasn't very sympathetic; I said, "It's too bad" I 
It took her ten minutes to clear up and get out, so it was nearly five 
v^en I pushed her out of the building. She left promptly Saturday, be- 
cause she was going up to the University, I hope she has the idea now 
that she can't stay after the rest of us are gone. 
The day after you left Angelo came in looking for you. I told 
him you were gone, and he was much surprised. He said he didn't know any- 
thing about it and seemed to think that you shotild have consulted him. 
He stood around here talking a long time. It was very funny, 
Florence's rooming house is run by a middle aged maiden lady 
whose elderly parents live there with her. The family lives in the base- 
ment. Friday night the old mother died, and ever since they have had 
her laid out in the front parlor on the first floor, which opens by a 
large double doorway (with no doors) off the entrance hall through which 
all the girls have to pass to go upstairs to their rooms. The funeral 
won't be until tomorrow, and they have had her there all this time, without 
even closing up the coffin. It was too much for Florence. She couldn't 
stand going in and out past such an array, so she came over to stay with 
me until they get the old lady out of there. 
