CABLE ADDRESS 
"PYRICOR” YONKERS 
PLANTS 
NEPERA PARK,N.Y. 
HARRIMAN,N.Y. 
NEPERA CHEMICAE CO. INC. 
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 
NEPERA PARK, YONKERS 2, N . Y. 
November 7, 1955 
Dr» Waldo L* Schmitt 
Head Curator 
Department of Zoology 
Smithsonian Institution 
United States National Museum 
Washington 25, D. C, 
Dear Doctor Schmitt: 
I must apologize for the long delay in answering your very kind 
letter regarding the soil samples that you picked up in the Belgian Congo* 
We are deeply appreciative of your interest in collecting these 
for us but, unfortunately, we are not equipped in our Research Laboratories 
to study them for their possible antibiotic content. I have inquired of 
several people to see if there was some way that we could get these studied 
with the stipulation that the Smithsonian Institution share in any profits 
that might result from these should a useful antibiotic be turned up, I am 
concerned that I have been unable to get some agreement out of the companies 
that are doing such studies. Their practice apparently is to paj’- a small 
fee for the collection of samples, with no strings attached as to their 
further development. 
We have been carrying out some research on antibiotics with 
Merck & Co,, and I am told by their Vice President in Charge of Research 
that they would be glad to study these samples but would not like to commit 
themselves to a definite arrangement with respect to their further develop- 
ment. I certainly feel, personally, that the Smithsonian Institution should 
be rewarded if anything did come out of this to the benefit of the company. 
If you want me to, I will write this in a letter to the people at Merck to 
see if I can get at least a "gentleman's agreement" to that effect. If not, 
I would suggest that you take it up with some of the antibiotic producers or 
perhaps be advised by ity very good, personal, friend. Dr. Henry Welch, who 
is in Charge of the Antibiotic Division of the Food and Drug Administration 
in Washington. It might even be that Dr, Welch would be interested in 
