Aboard the Somerset Zephyr
One must imagine that the Somerset Zephyr has various salons, a smoking room, and public areas, in addition to state rooms, dining room, and all the "business side" of a ship. It seems highly unlikely that either the doctor or Mr. Blake would be comfortable with a tete-a-tete in either of their staterooms. Like the great ships of our Victorian era, the Somerset Zephyr's salons, etc., would be furnished in Victorian style with armchairs, settees, and potted plants (possibly bolted in case of unexpected turbulence). There might even be a library (depending on how upper-class this airships is).
The doctor suggested either a salon or the library as a place for a discussion, depending on how social or studious an area Blake preferred. "I am not at all sure that this conversation will not venture into areas inappropriate for the dining or card table," she gave a small, deprecating smile that did not reach her eyes.
Blake said, "Not the card room." Despite the fact that most gentlemen gambled to some extent, the doctor realized that she had not seen him play cards save when there was clearly no money at risk. She herself did not gamble either. She could, however, frequently be found where people gather, observing others though not attempting to join in conversations to which she was uninvited.
Any small talk came over in as friendly a manner as other discussions that have happened within the Party. However, upon reaching the meat of the conversation, the lady doctor seemed to cool and become rather professionally detached. Madeline said, "Mr. Blake, as perforce we have become associates, I should confess that I am, ah, uncomfortable with what I know of radiology. I am hoping that I -- no, hoping is not the correct word. I intend to learn what I can of your experiences in the field, if you will be so kind as to speak with me about them.
Blake: "Naturally I am willing to explain whatever I can about my chosen field."
Davis: "How long have you been a radiologist? How do you assess the state of your health at this time -- and has it changed since you took up radiology?
Blake: "Well I must admit that I have lost a certain amount of weight since I started my studies, but that certainly has more to do with my finances than any other factor. I have not kept up my physical training since leaving the army, so I can't claim to be as fit as I once was, but once again I think that has little to do with my chosen field. I feel myself to be in excellent health. The only effect I am aware of is this scar, and others less visible, which are the result of incautious experimentation while I was a student. I had insufficient skill to attempt that level of effect, and the scars serve to remind me of the folly of overreaching."
At the mentions of weight loss and lack of fitness, the doctor frowned slightly, nodded, but did not interrupt. She studied the scar (from her distance) dispassionately. Softly, almost to herself, she mused, "I should learn in detail about the forces that can produce such an injury beyond the skills of healing. Someday, even that should not be beyond Man's reach...." She seemed to be talking about the powers of medicine/ healing.
Blake: "The scars from failure of a spell never heal completely, even when our own arts are applied. Fortunately for Radiologists, I am one of the few to ignore the warnings we were given. Perhaps others in my class would have made a similar mistake, but my injury inspired them to greater caution."
Professional curiosity and an innate compassion warred in Madeline's face and tone. "I _wish_ that my arts - or, rather,
Blake: "I know the way of inspiring one's own body to repair great damage with astonishing speed. The person must be alive, but even very severe wounds have healed over in minutes this way. If the bleeding is bad enough, however, the victim may still die, I am told. That is why we were taught a small amount about the binding of wounds and such. I was also one who could learn to clean disease from a person if I know enough about the disease in question. I had learned more than I wanted to about tropical ailments while I was in Hong Kong, and so I have, for instance, been able to cure malaria."
Dr. Davis' eyes were wide with interest. "Almost you inspire me to study radiology. What a boon such skills would be to the ordinary doctor, dealing with the ravages of cholera and diphtheria. I have read just a very little about malaria in preparation for -- such a trip as ours; it is a West African and Mediterranean illness, is it not? Characterized by reoccurrent bouts of suffering, correct?"
Davis: "Where did you train and under whom? What was the state of your teacher's health when last you knew him?"
Blake: "I took my degree at Oxford under Professor Hancock. He, as you no doubt already know, was one of the first to study the fascinating properties of radium. The Professor is a very robust man, and has no health problems I am aware of."
Davis: "This question is of a less professional nature. Please refuse to answer it if I seem to pry too deeply. What persuaded you to take up radiology as a profession? What do you wish to accomplish in it?"
Blake: "As it happens, I had no knowledge of Radiology until I attended a lecture by Professor Hancock in my first year. All I knew when I began my studies was that I could not make a career in the army, to my father's great disappointment. My fascination with the effects of the emanations from radium in its purified state has gripped me ever since the lecture."
Madeline smiled sympathetically and nodded at the mention of his father's disappointment. "I, too, know what it's like to not step comfortably into the profession laid before one by a parent. And to feel a -- calling -- in another direction. In my case, it is to help people, to heal."
Blake: "I fear I had no such calling when I left the army. I was instead convinced that the military was not the place for me. My fellow officers were in complete agreement with me."
She choked back a giggle, aware that the loss of a military career might have been painful to the gentleman. With a little gasp she said, "Would that my papa would be in complete agreement with me on the unsuitability of -- another profession." She gave Blake the most genuine smile he'd yet seen from her.
Blake half-smiled -- with the right side of his face -- which was nearly the first sign of expression he had had. It occurred to the doctor that his other expressions could be made fairly alarming by the action of the scar, so it was possible that he might be keeping his face still on purpose. "In truth, I was glad to return my commission. My father never got over his disappointment, though. He might have done, but he ... Well. I have told you the story."
"Yes," she said softly. "I _am_ sorry. And I hope that an associated outcome to this expedition will be our discovery of the truth behind that story."
She looked at his scar then met Blake's eyes with -- again -- that slight frown. "If radiology is capable of inflicting such a dramatic wound, is it possible, do you know, that it is capable of subtle damage? unbeknownst to its wielder? over a long term -- a decade or more? where only at the end is it painful and terminal?"
Blake: "If so I have heard nothing of it. My instructors were very clear on the risks of manipulating radium, and that was certainly not one of them."
[GM: It was quite some time between the discovery of radium et al and the effects of radiation. It is probably widely believed that radium is good for you; lots of patent medicines claim to use it. In this world, Blake's instructors would have focused safety precautions on the obvious things--focusing the energy onto flammable materials, watching your fingers when you grind together the radium with the refractory asbestos. People will have been known to get burns from the stuff, usually on the hands, but when a beaker breaks it hits the face and other parts of the body, which are usually covered by clothes.]
She continued, "Professor Hancock was a relatively young man when pitchblende was discovered twenty years ago, wasn't he? How old would you place him at now?"
Blake: "In his healthy 50s or so, I would guess."
The doctor seemed vaguely relieved to hear this.
"When did you take your degree from Oxford?" She paused just a moment, then added apologetically, "Or are you now a student at University College London under Professor Drake?" [In period, someone could enter a university at age 14-17 .. and stay forever if made a fellow of one of the colleges. I suspect this is not the case with Blake.]
Blake: "Class of '86. I had no way to continue on as a scholar. The debt I took on to finish my final year at Oxford means I had to get work as soon as possible. It has been very difficult, since my father's reputation follows me, and closes many doors ordinarily open to a man of my skills."
She nodded her understanding of his situation.
The doctor continued, "Do you find that the -- use of radiation," she seemed a little discomfited with the phrase, "has seemed to enhance your mental faculties? Or, as in so many things, does practise in its use simply give the impression of skill and ease with that skill?"
Blake: "I think it is only the application of focus to a particular pursuit that has increased my acuity. It seems to me that you fear some dread effects from working with radium. I can assure you that while mistakes with any great power can be painful, that I know of no ill-results of competently working with radium."
Madeline blushed in consternation. "I -- do not fear for myself, if that is what you mean. I know of no harm accruing to those who accompany a radiologist. It's just -- that, not long ago -- I was called in to aid in easing the pain of a -- patient. An early radiologist. He seemed quite old." She was very earnest, thinking of her former patient*. "I will not name him. You will understand, I hope, if I do not more plainly violate my patient's privacy. My mesmeric skills do not allow me to actually read minds, I assure you. But -- it seemed to me that all his -- cells -- screamed with the pain of -- a great burn that the other physicians could not see. And -- forgive me, please -- your scar brought that to mind. The -- memory -- makes me fear... well, ah, I -- want no harm to come to anyone 'on my watch'." She looked embarrassed. "I know that is presumptuous of me, but -- there it is."
Blake explained to the doctor that, to his knowledge and in his experience, the negative expression of radiology had always taken the form of a violent reaction -- an explosion, if you will -- and never the subtle, corrosive influence that she seemed to suspect.
Dr. Davis answered, "I see. I know the effects of radiology have not been in my field of study and, heaven knows, I have not had experience with all 'the ills flesh is heir to'. Thank you for your explanations. I must now try to shake the shadows my own imagination seems to have created."
*[Will: Ok, Pat. I should know whom she's talking about, since I should know the names of all the early practitioners. I can't really formulate a reply until I know my own reaction to this info.]
[Sheryl: Dr. Adrian Ritter was the name I used when I wrote up the episode in Maddy's background. I was working on a combination of the fate of such historical figures as Marie Curie (who "will" not arrive in Paris for another few years from our characters' points of view) and Pat's write up specifying 'usually has side effects' which, of course, could well be as individual as the radiologist. :-) Pat?]
[GM: Dr. Ritter sounds fine to me. There are very, very few cases to extrapolate from. Yes, Ritter was wasted from cancer and describing it as an internal burn is certainly possible. There have been other cases of people killed by radiation, whole body burns. If you need names then look up the people that died in SL-1 (Army Stationary Low Power Reactor 1) and use their names. So, Blake might not be absolutely sure of the name; Ritter died at an age that is not out of bounds with conditions of the time. There are a couple of other early practitioners, probably 2 of them who have disappeared exploring, a couple on the Continent you haven't heard of, etc.]
[3 January 1961: A reactor explosion (attributed by a Nuclear Regulatory Commission source to sabotage) at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho Falls, Idaho, killed one navy technician and two army technicians, and released radioactivity "largely confined" (words of John A. McCone, Director of the Atomic Energy Commission) to the reactor building. The three men were killed as they moved fuel rods in a "routine" preparation for the reactor start-up. One technician was blown to the ceiling of the containment dome and impaled on a control rod. His body remained there until it was taken down six days later. The men were so heavily exposed to radiation that their hands had to be buried separately with other radioactive waste, and their bodies were interred in lead coffins. John Byrnes is buried in his hometown of Utica, New York; Richard Legg in his hometown of Kingston, Michigan, and Richard McKinley in Arlington National Cemetery.]
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