[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Magazine February 1961.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
It could be deadly. It had to be tested. But
Sales wanted a new product this very minute.
Amos Parry, a regional manager for Whelan, Inc. (Farm & Ranch Chemicals
& Feeds), had come to work a few minutes early and was waiting in the
lab when Frank Barnes arrived. He saw that the division's chief chemist
was even more nervous than usual, so he invested a few minutes in
soothing small talk before saying, "Frank, Sales is beginning to push
for that new hormone."
Immediately, Barnes came unsoothed. "Bill Detrick was on the phone
about it yesterday, Mr. Parry. I'm sorry I was abrupt with him."
Amos grinned. "If you were, he hasn't had a chance to mention it to
me yet. But I think we'd better light a fire under the thing. We'll
probably get a blast from Buffalo before long. How many men do you have
on it?"
"Well, two helping with routine work, but I've done most of it myself,
evenings and weekends. I didn't want anybody to know too much about it.
Mr. Parry, I'm worried about it."
"Worried? How do you mean?"
"Well--let me show you the litter we've been testing it on."
The pigs were in pens outside the lab. Amos had seen figures on
weight gain and general health (the latter was what promised to be
sensational) but hadn't seen the animals for two weeks. He eyed the
first bunch. "How old is that boar pig?"
"Not quite four months."
Amos was no expert, but he'd spent many hours on customers' farms and
he thought the animal looked more mature than that. So did the shoats
in the same pen, though they tended more to fat. All of the group had
an odd look, certainly not normal for Yorkshires of their age. He
thought of wild hogs. "Is it just the general health factor?" he asked.
"I don't think so, Mr. Parry. You remember I told you this wasn't
actually a hormone."
"I know. You wanted to call it that for secrecy, you told me."
"Yes, sir, but I didn't tell you what it really was. Mr. Parry, are you
familiar with hypnotics? Mescaline, especially?"
"No, I'm not, Frank."
"Well, it's a drug that causes strong hallucinations. This is a
chemical derivative of it."