Two references are known where Esther M. Lederberg is the first (and only researcher) that discovered phage λ. One is a fairly detailed 1950 paper (difficult to access). The other (a 1951 abstract) is the reference usually cited but is very abbreviated (that is what is expected of an abstract). Both of these references may be examined below.
Lederberg, E. M., 1950, "Lysogenicity in Escherichia coli strain K-12",
Microbial Genetics Bulletin, 1, pp. 5-8, Jan. 1950, Univ. of Wisconsin [Evelyn Maisel Witkin, Editor],
Ohio State University, ISSN: 0026-2579, call No. 33-M-4, OCLC: 04079516, Accession Number: AEH8282UW
Lederberg, E. M., 1951, "Lysogenicity in E. coli K-12", Genetics 36:560 (abstract)
As a consequence of Esther Lederberg's development of replica plating (claimed by another researcher, sans evidence), discoveries in genetics occurred rapidly. These discoveries were made so rapidly that it was decided to circulate sheets of paper among all the researchers in the laboratory. Each researcher would write a summary (abstract) or detailed description (paper) of their current work on these sheets. These sheets of paper eventually became the Microbial Genetics Bulletin (MGB). Evelyn Maisel Witkin was one of the researchers, but was assigned responsibility of ensuring that all the researchers in the laboratory wrote up their discoveries. Hence, Evelyn Maisel Witkin was the first "editor" of the Microbial Genetics Bulletin.
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