Các mô hình nguyên tử chiếm chỗ chính xác

Platt J. R., Science, 131

To a considerable extent the conversations of John T. Edsall who played a leading role Barbara W. Low Alexander Rich and David F. Waugh then Chairman of the BBCSS led the stitdy Section to nndertake the project. At the time W. L. Koltun was consultant to the BBCSS and directed its programming activities one of which was the atomic models project. The Study Section conducted these activities under a special NIH grant 1tG‐7042. This grant supported the costs of the project through 1961 when W. L. Koltun designed the models. During this period members of the Stndy Section were: A. C. Burton University of Western Ontario; J. D. Ferry University of Wisconsin; D. E. Goldman Naval Medical Research Institute; I. Gray Georgetown University; W. J. Kanzmann Princeton University; U. Liddel National Aeronautics and Space Administration; J. It. Platt University of Chicago; F. W. Putnam University of Indiana; H. K. Schachman IJniversity of California Berkeley; C. Tanford Dnke University; It. C. Warner New York University; D. F. Wangh Biassachnsetts Institnte of Technology; I. Fuhr Execntive Secretary National Institutes of Health; W. L. Koltun Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Present institutional affiliations are indicated.

Members of the BBCSSad hocAtomic Models Committee were: Myron L. Bender Northwestern University; John T. Edsall Harvard University; Walter L. Koltnn National Science Foiuidation; Barbara W. Low Columbia University; Rirhard E. Marsh California Institute of Technology; Alan S. Michaels Massachusetts Institute of Tevhnology; Alexander Rich Massachiisetts Institute of Technology; and Albert E. Smith Shell Developmeiit Company. Although not an official member of the Committee J. L. Oncley University of bIichigan made many useful suggestions.

The Committee recognized that for some purposes “skeletal” type models are preferred. However sirice adeqnate “skeletal” models could be obtained and since they are more specialized than the space‐filling type the Committee felt that priority shonld be given the more general space‐filling models.

Mobay Chemical Company and Monsanto Chemical Company sell this commercially under the name Texiii 192A.

Mr. Victor Hall technical plastics consultant to the American Society of Biological Chemists has designed a tool which makes it easy to separate atoms and to remove the connector from the socket. It will be available with the models.

On behalf of all who have been involved in the development of the new models the author thanks the Corey‐Panling group a t the California Institute of Technology. They graciously provided bliieprints and examples of their models and thus saved considerable time and energy.

Table I also reflects some suggestions which the BBCSS Atomic Models Committee sought from: H. C. Brown Prirdne University; It. B. Corey L. C. Panling and J. D. Roberts California Institute of Technology; M. J. S. Dewar University of Chicago; J. Donohue University of Southern California; L. F. Fieser W. N. Lipscomb F. H. Westheimer and R. B. Woodward Harvard University; J. S. Fruton Yale University; D. Harker Roswell Park Memorial Institute; G. A. Jeffrey University of Pittsburgh; V. N. Schomaker Union Carbide Research Institute; D. P. Shoemaker Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Gilbert Stork Columbia University; and K. N. Trueblood and S. Winstein University of California at Los Angeles.

On February 23 1965 excactly three years from the date of filing US. Patent No. 3 170 246 Space Filling Atomic Units and Connectors for Molecular Models was issued to the author.

The details of the early development of the program and of the Study Section's recommendations to the NIH are contained in a report the BBCSS submitted to the NIH in February 1962 entitled “Space‐Filling Atomic Units for Macromolecular Models.” The Study Section recommended that: 1. The models should be produced as promptly as possible. 2. In order to keep the price as low as possible a government agency either the NIH or the National Science Foundation should underwrite the major mold costs then estimated at between $125 000 and $175 000. 3. A nonprofit organization should administer these funds and should be responsible for construction production and distribution of the models. 4. This organization with the advice of the Study Section and its committee should select on the basis of competitive bids a manufacturer to produce the models. 5. If consistent with government policy the nonprofit organization with the advice of the Study Section and its committee should select on the basis of competitive bids a distributor who would sell to all retailers under the same terms. If this were against government policy then the manufacturer should sell to all legitimate companies under equal terms. 6. Since continuing management of the program would require funds for mold maintenance and for making molds for additional atoms the nonprofit organization should receive a small royalty which would enable it to meet its continuing responsibilities. 7. Finally if extensive delay were anticipated all particulars including blueprints should be made available to interested persons. During 1961 the Study Section had explored the feasibility of each phase of the above procedure and obtained from custom molders estimates of about $150 000 for mold costs and about twenty‐five cents for the average retail price per atom. It also made informal inquiries of several profit and nonprofit organizations. The BBCSS also made recommendations concerning related items such as the need to field test prototype models before they are mass produced the naming of the models and the publication of the specifications in a scientific journal. The publication namely the present article was to precede slightly the appearance of the models.

Liaison with the NSF maintained through W. V. Consolazio who was then Program Director for Molecular Biology. To a large extent his interest and effort later led to the Foundation to provide the necessary funds.

At about the same time the American Chemical Society also agreed to manage the program if the ASBC proved unable to do so.

Coincidentally a t the beginning of 1962 the author changed jobs from Principal Consultant BBC Study Section to staff member of the Science Resources Planning Office NSF. This provided the Foundation with direct knowledge of the program. It also enabled the author to assist in bringing together the ASBC and the NSF and to serve as the Foundation's technical representative to the ASBC.

Members of the ASBC Advisory Committee are: Robert A. Harte Executive Officer ASBC; Richard E. Marsh California Institute of Technology; Frank W. Putnam University of Indiana; and Philip E. Wilcox University of Washington. Victor Hall serves as technical plastics consultant to the Society.

For further details seeReports to the Members ASBC Summer 1964 and Summer 1965.

ASBC annonnced the development of the models to laboratory supply houses through a variety of means including the insertion of a notice in the November 5 1964 issite of the newsletter of the Scientific Apparatus Makers Association. Thus far nine companies have expressed interest in retailing the models to the scientific community and Consolidated Molded Products Inc. is in process of negotiating equivalent agreements with them.

Reports to the Members ASBC Summer 1965.

All rights reserved including the right to reproduce this article in whole or in part in any form without the author's permission.