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Professor Norton D. Zinder
Biology Department
Rockefeller University
New York, New York  10021

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Re:	Nomination of Bruce Ames for Japan Prize

Dear Professor Zinder:

Bruce Ames's work has decisive importance in identifying natural levels of
carcinogens and poisons in the human and animal environment.  This
provides a scientific basis for comparing artificial contamination levels
with those arising from natural sources.  This in turn is essential for
focussing efforts to reduce contamination on those problems for which
reducing certain substances in the environment makes a significant
contribution to human welfare.  Ames's work, as it becomes better known
and understood, will be of major importance in puttting environmental
improvement on a scientific basis and reduce the level of accusation and
conflict.

His earlier work in developing the Ames test that uses the mutagenicity of
a substance in bacteria as an indication of its potential for causing
cancer was an important contribution toward putting that field on an
objective basis.  However, most decisive was his 1983 Science article on
the natural carcinogens and poisons in the environment that are consequent
to the bacteriological warfare between plants on the one hand and insects
and bacteria on the other.

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Sincerely,
John McCarthy
Professor
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