Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 52 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION rustling of dry leaves. ‘‘Unless you wish to be as I—rotting away withthe yellowsickness.”’ Munson realised with horror that here was yet another example of the barbaric cus- toms of Manyh. The sick were turned out to die on the streets in a society whose fear of disease was greater than any ties of blood or sympathy. The very concept of lethal disease held a strangeness for Munson with his condition- ing in pituitary control. Research on the general adaptation syndrome had led many centuries before to a method of strengthening the nerve connections between the base of the brain and the pituitary gland—thus enabling Earthmen to control its hor- mone secretions and hence the body’s defence mechanisms. The ancient microscopic ene- mies of man no longer held any fear when he was able to combat any infection or in- jury on a conscious level. Ignoring the warning, Mun- son bent down and looked into the face of the sufferer. Perhaps here he had stumbled on the answer he was seeking —a way in which he could improve the lot of the Many- hians and at-the same time gain their confidence. g* The unconditioned human- 84 oid body has three stages of response towards disease: the alarm reaction, the stage of resistance and the stage of exhaustion. This man was reaching the end of the second stage—soon his unco-ordin- ated defence mechanisms would give up the struggle against the disease and he would reach the third, which led to inevitable death. Munson ran over quickly in his mind the knowledge he possessed of the Selvoye Tech- nique, which was used on Earth for treating disease in small children who had not yet been conditioned to pitui- tary control. Applied under deep hypnosis this technique was a natural evolution of the ancient hetero-suggestion pro- cess and enabled a second person to take control of the patient’s pituitary mechanism. ‘“T have no fear of your yellow sickness, brother,” said Munson, placing a hand on the feverish forehead. The sufferer looked up at him, sunken eyes wide. “Your diseasecan be conquered if you willlet me show you the way.”’ *“Who are you?”’ rasped the tortured voice. “That is of no importance— trust in me and your sickness will be cured,’ continued Munson. His weakened con- comiclooks.cormn