Second letter from David Keilin, to John David Griffith Davies, regarding a paper 'The effects of cold and colchicine on mitosis in the newt' by Horace Newton Barber and Harold Garnet Callan

Description

Sectional Committee: Zoology

Not recommended for publication in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society of London'. Has considered the reply of Cyril Dean Darlington, and finds none of the criticisms have been answered by him. Refers to work of Cyril Dean Darlington, Ludford [?], Albert Levan, Karl Franz Josef Belar and L F La Cour. Finds the paper gives the incorrect impression that this is the first work of its type conducted on animal cells rather than plant cells. Discusses the history of colchicine research. Finds the paper poorly written. 'I am surprised that the example quoted in my report is described by Darlington as "concise and lucid". It may be concise and lucid, but in the same sense as Jingle's conversational effort...As a Chairman of the Sectional Committee, I have wasted already much of my time on this fairly simple paper, and I feel that it is not advisable to waste the time of other members of our Committee by calling a meeting or inflicting upon them all the documents concerning this paper in order to satisfy Darlington's obstinacy'. Cyril Dean Darlington has been in contact with Frederick Tom Brooks. 'If Darlington would devote to this paper oly a fraction of the time he wasted on correspondence and discussion with the Royal Society, he could easily put it right for publication. I am surprised at the energy and determination which he displays in rejecting all criticism and suggestion coming from outside, considering how devastating and intolerant is his criticism of papers set to him for assessment.'

[Published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society of London']

Endorsed on recto as received 22 July 1942.

Reference number

RR/68/215

Earliest possible date

21 July 1942

Physical description

Letter on paper

Page extent

3 pages

Format

Typescript