copy 
December 30, 1929. 
Dr. David L. Edsall 
Harvard radical School 
Boston, Massachusetts 
Dear Doctor Sdsall; 
I need your advice. In the study of asthma and hay fever, 
one of the problems concerns the plant pollens. Through the 
West, iincss, Duke, and Eoessler have each employed a man 
named. Durham to make a pollen survey of their districts for 
them. In Hew England, however, no such careful survey has 
been made although Cooke in Hew York made a partial survey 
some years ago. 
The problem Is essentially a local one and the solu¬ 
tion of it would undoubtedly help a great deal in practical 
clinical work. In addition, however, when the local findings 
are compared with those elsewhere - the conclusions would have 
a broader significance. 
I believe that a pollen survey of Massachusetts in 
general and Boston in particular should be made and I believe 
it would be a perfectly ligitimate object for the Asthma Fund. 
At first I thought that if a man could work for part 
time through the spring and summer, he could secure nine-tenths 
of the information but I have been talking with Professor 
Merritt L. Fernald at the Gray Herbarium, who tells me that 
if the thing is worth doing. It Is worth doing well and to do 
it vjell will require the full time of a man for a year. In 
the summer he will collect specimens but he must have the fall 
and winter to study them and review the collected data. 
Professor Fernald has a man, well trained for the job, whose 
services can be obtained for $2,000 >r $2,500. While the 
M.G.H. Asthma Fund has the money to do this (the balance stands 
at about $14, "DO.00 1th no large obligations In sight) but I 
am somewhat doubtful about the propriety of spending the money 
in this way. 
May I talk with you about It some day and would you ask 
Miss Hodges to send for me any morning at your convenience 
between 12 and 1 o'clock. 
With kind regards and best wishes for a Happy Hew Year. 
Yours sincerely. 
FMRsD 
