The Francis Crick Papers

Title:

Letter from James D. Watson to Francis Crick

Description:

In sending the manuscript of his account of the discovery of the double helix to Crick for comment, Watson hoped for a consensus on publication by the protagonists, including Crick, stating that John Kendall, Max Perutz, and Lawrence Bragg had already approved of the book.

Item is handwritten.

Number of Image Pages:

2 (394,047 Bytes)

Date:

1966-03-17 (March 17, 1966)

Creator:

Watson, James D.

Recipient:

Crick, Francis

Source:

Original Repository: Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine. Francis Harry Compton Crick Papers

URL: http://archives.wellcome.ac.uk/

Rights:

Reproduced with permission of James D. Watson.

Subject:

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH):: DNA; Ethics, Professional; Writing

Exhibit Category:

Embryology and the Organization of DNA in Higher Organisms, 1966-1976

Relation:

Letter from Francis Crick to James D. Watson (and notes concerning Watson's book, "The Double Helix") (March 31, 1966)

Box Number: 75

Folder Number: PP/CRI/I/3/8/4

Unique Identifier:

SCBBLR

Document Type:

Letters (correspondence)

Language:

English

Format:

application/pdf

image/tif

Physical Condition:

Good

Series: Publication

SubSeries: Other Publications

SubSubSeries: Watson, The Double Helix

Folder: [Correspondence Concerning Publication]

Transcript:

March 17, 1966

Dear Francis,

Odile told me of the death of your brother just before I left Cambridge to return here. I am very sorry and hope that his wife and children have something saved to turn upon. It was my intention to visit your aunt but my last two days in Cambridge were marked with a wretch case that I thought best not to expose her to. But the next time I'm in Cambridge, I shall definitely see her.

On the book side -- I should like very much if you could read it soon I have left a copy with John to give you. So that I may know where you think I'm wrong or where the emphasis is unjust. John, Max, and Hugh have read it, without serious reservations. So has Bragg, who took it very nicely and made some factual corrections that I'll incorporate in the next version. Now my hope is that after I receive you corrects [sic], (I'll be most interested to know how you feel I treat Maurice's role) I'll rewrite a number of sections and then show it to Maurice. Then conceivably with some form of consensus, that the story is an fairly accurate version, of how I looked at the problem between 1951-53, its publication must be considered [?].

(over)

[END PAGE ONE]

[BEGIN PAGE TWO]

Hopefully I plan to return to Cambridge in the second or third week of April having just made, or making there the next round of corrections. So if you have any radical [?] views could you write me here, -- minor corrections could be made while I'm in England.

My African trip was remarkably free of bad moments, and full of marvelous scenery, appealing local people, and many civilized expatriates. So do not take as an unpleasant joke, a subsequent invitation to be in East Africa.

Trust that Odile's legs will soon be mended

Jim

P.S. Now seriously thinking about some small chateau renovated 10th century etc [?] -- 11 bedrooms -- 18 km from lab -- fantastic view of Alps near Chamonix.

Metadata Last Modified Date:

2006-08-22

U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services
USA.gov, Copyright, Privacy, Accessibility
Comments, Viewers, Acknowledgments