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. 2008 Nov 10;7(1):52–89. doi: 10.2203/dose-response.08-024.Cuttler

FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 6

Telegram sent by renowned scientist Linus Pauling to President Kennedy

1 March 1962 Night Letter Durham NC Sent

President John F. Kennedy, White House:

Are you going to give an order that will cause you to go down in history as one of the most immoral men of all time and one of the greatest enemies of the human race? In a letter to the New York Times I state that nuclear tests duplicating the Soviet 1961 tests would seriously damage over 20 million unborn children, including those caused to have gross physical or mental defect and also the stillbirths and embryonic, neonatal and childhood deaths from the radioactive fission products and carbon 14. Are you going to be guilty of this monstrous immorality, matching that of the Soviet leaders, for the political purpose of increasing the still imposing lead of the United States over the Soviet Union in nuclear weapons technology? (sgd) Linus Pauling

To Dr Jerome Wiesner, Mr. McGeorge Bundy, Dr. Glenn Seaborg

I have sent the following telegram to President Kennedy (quote it)

Linus Pauling