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BY: So I want, obviously you're a very accomplished and brilliant -- according to Dr. Huggins -- scientist. But I want to explore a little bit about what he was like. So can you tell us the story about when he told you to just sit on the lawn and think? Can you tell that story?

SN: About my wife?

BY: No, no, about Dr. Huggins and his story. He told you one time, "Just sit on the lawn and think." Can you tell us that story?

SN: Well, at the Ben May Laboratory for cancer research where Dr. Charles Huggins headed, I made, early 1950s, fluorinated steroid was a cancer cure, breast cancer, so I made a number of fluorinated steroid, which Dr. Huggins tested, and he received the Nobel Prize. But very fortunate to be working at the cancer research of University of Chicago, where I could publish so many papers and obtain the recognitions.

BY: So what was he like as a person? Aside from the fact that he was a famous scientist, Nobel Laureate, what was his personality like?

SN: He was rather strange. [Laughs]

BY: How so?

SN: Well, he liked some people, he disliked some people. But once he trusts you, he gave us the opportunity to do anything we'd like to research. So at that point he's a good leader. But not regular. [Laughs]

TI: Well, you told us a good story when you first met him. I think when you first got to the University of Chicago, he told you to go sit outside and just think. Do you remember that story?

SN: Yes.

TI: Yeah, tell me that story.

SN: Oh. When I went to University of Chicago, Dr. Charles Huggins meet me. But I went on Monday morning, he said, "I didn't see you yesterday. Where are you?" And, "Young man like you, not working seven days a week, you'll never make it." [Laughs]

TI: So he met you, was it like a Friday? Was it Friday he first met you? But didn't he tell you to kind of relax and just think? Like sit on the grass and just stare off into the...

SN: Yes. And at the same time, he said, "If you're stuck, research, go outside, lay down on the lawn and think about..." [Laughs]

TI: You told me, so that's what you did.

SN: Yes.

BN: And then he criticized you for doing that.

SN: Yes.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2022 Densho. All Rights Reserved.