Part: 12         Session: 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536         Page 126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151 of 1143

health message, and then asked me what medical men we could get to give a statement to the committee on the awarding of the Medal of Merit about the importance of penicillin to the Armed Forces in World War II.

I suggested General Hawley of the Veterans Administration. Truman asked me to have Hawley send the statement to the Medal of Merit Board on the work of these two men.

The President was friendly and spoke freely about everything including “the pinheads in Congress.” He was always at odds with the Congress.

Your reason for seeking the medal for these men was a sincere interest in seeing them publicly recognized. . .

That's right, acknowledged and recognized.

And at the same time, did you feel that it was also an aid to you in furthering the idea of medical research. . . .

No, I don't think--I think it was really to see that they were recognized by the United States because discovery of penicillin had such fantastic importance in the reduction of deaths in the Armed Forces due to wounds.

And I'll quote here from what General Hawley said: He said, when we went to see him, “I certainly will write a recommendation