| Administrative History | 'Dr William W. Douglas, professor of pharmacology at the School of Medicine and a leader in pharmacology research'.
'Douglas received his primary degrees in medicine and surgery from the University of Glasgow in 1946. The University later awarded him another medical degree with honors for his research'.
'Dr Douglas made major contributions to the field of neuroscience. His research focused on the physiology and pharmacology of the endocrine and other secretory cells and the role calcium played in stimulation and secretion. He recently opened up a new field by showing that secretory cells in the anterior pituitary in the brain are electrically excitable, and that pharmacological agents may affect secretion by regulating this excitability'.
'He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1949 - 1950 and was also a member of the staff of the National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London in its division of physiology and pharmacology. In 1952, Dr Douglas became a visiting professor in the department of pharmacology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. He returned permanently to the U.S. in 1956 as professor of pharmacology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he remained until he became professor of pharmacology at Yale in 1968.
The Yale professor won numerous awards for his work, including the John Gaddum Memorial Award from the British Pharmacological Society in 1967 and the Van Dyke Memorial Award from Columbia University in 1975. In 1983, he was elected to the Royal Society, the oldest national academy of science in continuous existence'.
Cited from Yale web page: 'Yale Bulletin & Calendar. Dr. William W. Douglas:
Leader in pharmacology research, teaching', http://www.yale.edu/opa/ybc/v26.n35.news.13a.html (2005).
The Chemical Defence Experimental Station [C.D.E.E.; known as the Royal Engineers Experimental Station between 1916 and 1929] at Porten Down was set up during the First World War (1914 - 1918) 'to provide a proper scientific basis for the British use of chemical warfare, in response to the earlier German use of this means of war in 1915'.
In 1949 - 1950, when Douglas was working at the C.D.E.E., the Station followed the principle that the use of chemical warfare agents was permitted only 'in retaliation' circumstances.
'The late 1940s and early 1950s saw research and development at Porton Down aimed at providing Britain with the means to arm itself with a modern nerve agent based capability and to develop specific means of defence against [highly toxic organophosphorous nerve agents, unknown to Britain and the Allies]'.
Cited from the Ministry of Defence web page, 'Porton Down Volunteers: A Brief History Of Porton Down', http://www.mod.uk/issues/portondownvolunteers/history.htm (2005), where further details can be found. |
| Description | Correspondence in the file was written whilst Douglas was based at the Ministry of Supply [and Physiology Department], C.D.E.E., Porton, Wiltshire, 1949 - 1950, The National Institute for Medical Research, London, 1950 - 1951, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York, 1956 - 1967 and the Sterling Hall of Medicine, Connecticut, 1969 - 1970. Much of the correspondence is handwritten.
Correspondence, relating to Kosterlitz's and Douglas' respective research and work, for example the two letters, dated 8 April 1949 (from Douglas) and 25 April 1949 (from Kosterlitz), refering to the 'polythene tubing'.
Correspondence relates to references from Kosterlitz's papers and to meetings, including the Physiological Society annual meetings and the 'Oxford meetings' and 'Cambridge meetings' [probably of the Physiological Society].
Letter, dated 25 April 1949, from Kosterlitz, congratulates Douglas on finishing his thesis. Also mentions the fact that Douglas was promoted.
Correspondence, dating from 1949, relate to the 'extra - mural contract', and letter dated 15 September 1949, from Kosterlitz, mentions, 'the Professor would like to write to the Ministry of Supply in his and my name to apply for such a contract. He will ask Dr. Taylor, our new lecturer, to do the work together with Miss Pirie'. Letter enclosed with a 'draft containing (a) the outline of the proposed work and (b) the estimated cost'. Draft is entitled 'The action of anticholinesterases on the chemoreceptors of the cerotic bodies and the vasodilator mechanism of the perfused isolated limb'. N.B. ?remains closed under data protection legislation.
Correspondence mentions the 'Symposium on Chemoceptors and Chemoceptive Reaction' in the Physiology Department of the Veterinary College, Stockholm, 24 - 25 August 1950. Also, the meeting of the Society of Endocrinology on 14 December and Physiological Society meeting at the Middlesex Hospital on 16 & 17 December 1950.
Draft letter, dated 29 August 1956, from Kosterlitz, mentions that he has tentatively accepted to give a paper at the symposium in San Francisco, late 1956.
Letters, dated September - October 1956, refer to Kosterlitz's planned visits to other laboratories in the US.
Draft, handwritten air letter, from Kosterlitz, mentions that his Department in Aberdeen is 'somewhat unsettled' because 'the Chair has been advertised. This may well be a turning point in my life and there is so little I can do about the outcome of it'.
Handwritten reply, dated 10 September 1957, from Douglas, mentioning that he had heard that 'Cruickshank was retiring and that the Sec. of State was soliciting application' and Douglas writes that he is wishing Kosterlitz the best of luck.
Letter of 9 May 1964, from Kosterlitz, says that he has had his 'U.S.P.H.S.' grant renewed for three years; discusses scientific instruments - a 'pen oscillograph' and 'oscilloscope camera' - and says that 'Michael [Kosterlitz's son] is very busy preparing for Part I of the Tripos examination'.
Letter, dated 14 May 1964, from Douglas, talks about his family and some of his current work at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
Letters from January 1966, discuss Kosterlitz's intended visit to Douglas at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Dr Furchgott's department.
Letters, dated 28 March (from Kosterlitz), refers to the first meeting of the Medical Faculty Lecture Committee 'to consider the programme for 1966/67'.
Significantly, the correspondence in the file is addressed to Dr. Hans W Kosterlitz, rather than 'Professor' Hans W Kosterlitz.
Letters, dated 10 January and 1 February 1967, say that Kosterlitz has some relatives who live in New York. Letters mention Kosterlitz's intended visit to see Douglas on Kosterlitz's way home from attending the meeting of the Committee on Problems of Drug Dependence in Lexington.
There are a number of gaps in the correspondence, including between June 1951 and August 1956; October 1956 and September 1957; November 1957 and May 1964; 1964 and 1966; May 1966 and January 1967; February 1967 and November 1969; and November 1969 and January 1970. |