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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
31
He
found
that
many
of
his
fears
were
ungrounded.
In
spite
of
the
dozens
of
lethal
substances
recommended
by
the
Poison
Institute,
most
poisoners
stuck
single-mindedly
to
arsenic
or
strychnine.
They
were
cheap,
sure,
and
very
painful.
Prussic
acid
had
a
readily
discernible
odor,
mercury
was
difficult
to
introduce
into
the
system,
and
the
corrosives,
although
gratifyingly
spectacular,
were
dangerous
to
the
user.
Wolfsbane
and
fly
agaric
were
excellent,
of
course;
deadly
nightshade
could
not
be
discounted,
and
the
amanita
toadstool
had
its
own
macabre
charm.
But
these
were
the
poisons
of
an
older,
more
leisurely
age.
The
impatient
younger
generation--and
especially
the
women,
who
made
up
nearly
90
per
cent
of
the
poisoners
on
Omega--were
satisfied
with
plain
arsenic
or
strychnine,
as
the
occasion
and
opportunity
demanded.
Omegan
women
were
conservatives.
They
simply
weren't
interested
in
the
never-ending
refinements
of
the
poisoner's
art.
Means
didn't
interest
them;
only
ends,
as
quickly
and
as
cheaply
as
possible.
Omegan
women
were
noted
for
their
common
sense.
Although
the
eager
theoreticians
at
the
Poison
Institute
tried
to
sell
dubious
mixtures
of
Contact
Poison
or
Three
Day
Mold,
and
worked
hard
to
put
across
complex,
haywire
schemes
involving
wasps,
concealed
needles,
and
double
glasses,
they
found
few
takers
among
women.
Simple
arsenic
and
fast-acting
strychnine
continued
to
be
the
mainstays
of
the
poison
trade.
This
quite
naturally
simplified
Barrent's
work.
His
remedies--immediate
regurgitation,
lavage,
neutralizing
agent--were
easy
enough
to
master.
He
encountered
some
difficulty
with
men
who
refused
to
believe
they
had
been
poisoned
by
anything
so
commonplace
as
arsenic
or
strychnine.
For
those
cases,
Barrent
prescribed
a
variety
of
roots,
herbs,
twigs,
leaves,
and
a
minute
homeopathic
dose
of
poison.
But
he
invariably
preceded
these
with
regurgitation,
lavage,
and
neutralizing
agent.
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