Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 47 — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

How far should we go in overcoming human physical limitations This far? ? THE MUTILANTS WENT along to the Estab- lishment for Research into Human Limitations § in Flight—more commonly re- ferred to as E.R.H.L.F.—at the suggestion of Doc Le- strange. The Doc has been my adviser for years, and my physician since I was as high as a duck’s instep and twice as grubby, and for that reason—and because I was curious about E.R.H.L.F.—I polished my leaky shoes and shaved with a little more care than usual and went along for a job. Oh yes, I should also mention that I was out of a job. And since I am strong on essential honesty today, there is the little matter of nostalgic music. Nostalgic music being, in my case, not the sound of Ava Rhonda’s voice or the strains of an oscillaphonic reproduc- 47 by R. C. Wingfield — tion of “Ascent to Freedom,” but simply the straining shriek of a Superjet streaking down the runway. At the time I had no idea what Doc’s status was at the Establishment, but I did know that he had specialised in brain surgery back in the early fifties, and that he had maintained a position of es- pecial distinction in a Lon- don hospital until, in 1968, a mental black-out during a delicate operation cost the patient his life and the Doc his appointment. His resigna- tion was a formality followed © by temporary obscurity. Then, during the early part of the Decade of Destruction, he himself underwent a brain operation of a type only twice before attempted—and which had resulted in complete in- sanity on both occasions. _ comicloooks.conn