Subject: Exactly who discovered dsRNA, when and how?

Can someone explain their understanding of how we came to know about double-
stranded RNA (dsRNA)? I have looked and looked for exactly who discovered 
this, when and how, but have not been able to come up with an answer.

I understand that dsRNA initiates the process of RNA interference and that 
dsRNA is part of the nucleic structure of some viruses. It sounds like natural 
dsRNA is simply the bonding of two pre-mRNAs built from 1 pair of DNA strands. 
What I'm trying to figure out is before we knew dsRNA existed, and before we 
understood RNA interference, how did we know about and just happen to have 
some dsRNA to introduce to subsequent experiments? With all the press today 
following Fire & Mello's receipt of the Nobel prize, dsRNA is just taken as a 
given ... but I'd like to familiarize myself a bit from the beginning. I've 
seen references (such as the following) to dsRNA from as long ago as 1976.

Kerr, I. M., Brown, R. E., Clemens, M. J., & Gilbert, C. S. 1976. Interferon-
mediated inhibition of cell-free-protein synthesis in response to double-
stranded RNA. European Journal of Biochemistry 69, 551-561. Retrieved November 
7, 2006 from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1432-
1033.1976.tb10940.x

Ratner, L., Sen, G. C., Brown, G. E., Lebleu, B. Kawakita, M., Cabrer, B, & et 
al. 1977. Interferon, double-stranded RNA and RNA degradation: Characteristics 
of endonuclease activity. European Journal of Biochemistry 79, 565-577. 
Retrieved November 7, 2006 from http://www.blackwell-
synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1432-1033.1977.tb11841.x

Re: Exactly who discovered dsRNA, when and how?