Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 65 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

THE PHOENIX TREATMENT by LEN SHAW 6¢ OODBYE, PROFESSOR.” (; “Au-revoir, Herr Praull.” “What d’you mean—au- revoir ?”’ Standing at the front door of a private sanatorium on the outskirts of London, Joseph Praull stared at Professor Grundhoff, disturbed by the bearded specialist’s significant tone. The rejuvenation treat- ment had been expensive— reducing one’s effective age from 70 to 30 is no mean task—but it had been com- pletely successful. Surely there was no reason for a return visit to the sanatorium! ““My young friend!” Pro- fessor Grundhoff smiled rue- fully. “They all forget—in- cluding you. In two years, maybe three—who knows— you must return for a second course of treatment.” “Of course! I'd forgotten!” Joseph laughed gaily. “The 31 Pheenix Treatment, eh? I rise from my own ashes!” “Not quite, Herr Praull. You have chosen a poetic way of expressing it. Your present youthfulness has only a limited term. When the effect of the treatment wears off, senescence will set in at an accelerated pace. When the first symptom appears, you must return immediately. The smallest delay could have drastic con- sequences.” “Fun and games, eh, Pro- fessor ?”’ Joseph winked. There was a bubbling effervescence inside him which discounted the grim warning. Others might need a second course of treatment; himself—never! “If you had a hat on, Profes- sor,” he laughed, “I’d say you were talking through it.” “Ach, yes!” Professor Grundhoff boomed genially. *““Y our reaction to my warning is normal. Merely to tell me, comiclbooks.corn