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S Pers. [[logo]] DOUGLAS [[/logo]]
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT     November 4, 1955

Mr. E. R. Silliman
General Manager
Cia Mexicana de Aviacion, S.A.
P. O. Box 901
Mexico, D. F.

Dear Tubby:

We enjoyed you brief visit with us but only regret that it was not longer. I am sorry I did not have an opportunity to greet your good wife.

I received a letter today from Dr. White in regard to the expedition for taking cardiograms of whales. As I expected, he would like me to secure what permits are required by the Mexican Government. In consequence, I am therefore going to impose on your good nature to see what you may be able to do for us in official quarters in Mexico City. 

To review the whole affair, I will give you the following information:

Dr. Paul Dudley White, of Boston, Massachusetts, is a present the head doctor taking care of President Eisenhower's heart condition. I agreed some months ago to take him and several doctors and scientists to Scammon's Lagoon in February 1956. This is a large lagoon that is entered from the Pacific about 350 miles south of Los Angeles. The whales frequent this lagoon from November to April. Dr. White wishes to record cardiographs of whales under conditions where they are not being pursued or bothered. 

He has developed a light cross bow that shoots a light dart into the whale's blubber. The dart carried wires to a buoy equipped with a radio transmitter. The radio sends the signals to the cardiogram machine that records it. The darts will be fired into the whales from a small whale boat and the recording will be done on our 83 foot motor vessel Dorado. 

The Doctor wishes to enter Scammon's Lagoon about February 2, 1956 and would want to spend about two weeks there on his project. Since he is one of our top heart specialists and will be accompanied by expert cardiologists and other medical men, I am sure some worth-while information will be gained. It may well be of great value to the medical profession.

If the Mexican authorities should feel they would like to observe and participate in the affair, I could take care of one of their men.

DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMPANY INC., SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA