Rick didn't know, but he intended to find out. There must be some
works on brain physiology in the library.
"However, the important modern work started with Berger in the late
1920's. He found that the brain emits a definite pulse of activity,
which was then known as the 'Berger rhythm.'
"Since then, Berger's work has been very much refined. We now know
that the brain actually produces a number of clearly defined
electrical rhythms. These rhythms have been used in medical diagnosis
of brain injury. Walter, in England, has even developed a machine that
will show whether or not people will get along with each other, by
analysis of their wave patterns."
This was interesting, and Rick intended to find out more about it. But
he began to wish Winston would come to the point.
"I might add that the rhythmic brain patterns seem to be highly
individual. No two are alike, even in identical twins. However, each
person shows a pattern that remains fairly constant, even over a
period of years.
"With this background, you will understand when I report that the
EEG's taken of our colleagues brains are completely abnormal. The
EEG's were taken while they were awake. Yet, the most prominent
pattern is the delta rhythm that is universally associated with sleep
and some types of damage to the brain."
"Are there any other signs of physical damage?" Hartson Brant asked.
"No. All tests are negative. Spinal taps show no concussion, and there
is no evidence of trauma of any kind other than psychic. Yet, the
delta rhythms persist. In the one case where we have an EEG taken
before the--incidents, let's call them--the pattern is entirely
different. The scientist had a pattern of a well-known type which
bears no resemblance to the EEG taken after the incident."
Dr. Morrison leaned forward. "What is your conclusion?"
"That our mysterious enemy has somehow caused damage of an unknown
kind, by remote means. And that can mean only one thing: The damage
was caused electronically, probably by transmission through the air."
"Incredible," Weiss muttered, and the sentiment was reflected in the
astonished gasps of the others.
"Let's consider the implications of Parnell's statement," Hartson
Brant said slowly. "If he is correct, then the enemy has devised a
means for causing brain disruption in an individual. A transmitted
signal would inevitably strike countless others; there can be no such
thing as a beam of radiation that strikes one person at a distance
while missing all others. Therefore, this beam must affect only one
person among many."
"But how can a beam be tuned to one person?" Rick asked.
"I don't know, Rick." Hartson Brant turned to Winston. "Do you?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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