CONANT JAMES B: (1893-1978) American Chemist, President of Harvard University and first US Ambassador to West Germany, 1955-1957. As Chairman of the National Defense Research Committee he oversaw vital wartime research projects including the Manhattan Project. T.L.S., 'James B. Conant', one page, 4to, Cambridge Massachusetts, 23rd May 1946, on the Harvard University, Office of the President, printed stationery, to M. Henri Corbiere. Conant replies to his correspondent's `inquiry of April 24' referring in part to his `scientific debut´ and his `means of earning a living'. Conant goes on to say in part `….I think the work which received the greatest amount of attention, though I hardly can say it made me famous, was my research on the structure of chlorophyl. My best work in my opinion, however, was in the use of physicochemical methods to study oxidation and reduction reactions; particularly my work on the nature of methemoglobin'. Small overall age tone, mostly to edges, otherwise G to VG