Memorandum to Herbert N. McCoy, July 1, 1925

U.S.R.C. INTERIOR MEMORANDUM Date Subject For Attention of Answering Memo. of COPY OF DR. REITTER'S LETTER GEORGE S. REITTER, MD. 7 Prospect St. East Orange, N. J. July First 1925. Prof. Herbert N. McCoy, 1623 Hyde Park Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois. Dear Prof. McCoy:- I was Dr. Edward Leman's physician during his last illness and had known him, and of his good work for about four years. An autopsy was obtained and performed by Dr. Harrison Martland, pathologist, of Newark, N. J. Realizing the great importance of these particular post mortem findings, we have gone over the pathological material very carefully. In addition, I have decided to test all of the organs for radioactivity, both qualitatively and quantitatively. So far as I can find out, these findings have never been published. So I believe the complete clinical data, post mortem findings, and the radioactivity of the organs should be presented to the profession. Mr. Harold Viedt tells me you attended the doctors funeral and knew him very well, and that he was one of your pupils at the University. So I am asking you to test a portion of the organs qualita- tively and quentitatively for their radioactivity. I know of no one who is better qualified to do this work than you. H. H. Barker, chief physicist of the U. S. Radium Corporation, has found that the lungs, spleen, and bones show beta activity. He is completing the test on the rest of the organs, and will do the quan- titive work as time goes on. It is necessary to find out, if possible,what the radioactive substance is, and to arrive at some conclusion as to the processes and manner in which it found its way into the organs. As the doctor has been working with both Radium and Mesothorium, he may have ingested particles of both. He probably has ingested and absorbed radon - so it will be very interesting to find out just what products are in the organs. They have been dried over a send bath and the ash af