B548 <=> B550 [BTG XXXI Last sojourn to Earth, p. 549]

“’After finishing the course, this young man then receives the title of analytic-chemist. Sometimes it happens that before receiving a responsible post, the young man happens to get “practice” consisting usually in this, that he helps the local chemist, also a former mama’s darling, to ascertain with the aid of a microscope, in a certain way only known to themselves, whether the pork contains trichinae; and only later, when a place is vacant somewhere, is he appointed to the official post of analytic-chemist.

“’Well, dear Doctor, such an official analytic-chemist receives our Dover’s powder for analysis. On receiving it he recognizes it as Dover’s powder either by looking at it or by tasting it as ordinary mortals do, or because the sender writes to him that it is precisely Dover’s powder.

“’For this analysis he takes up from his table what they call his “pharmaceutical guide,” also composed by Germans, which every official analytic-chemist is bound to have; and there in that guide he hunts up the place where are written the formulas of powders of all kinds.

“’As Dover’s powder is known everywhere, it is of course, also included in that book.

“’Thereafter our highly respected analytic-chemist takes from his table a form on which official title is indicated and writes:

“’”The powder sent to us for analysis proves to be, according to all the data, Dover’s powder. The analysis showed it to contain . . .” And he copies a formula from his German pharmaceutical guide, deliberately increasing or diminishing some of the figures, but increasing or diminishing them of course only very slightly so that they may not slap you in the eye.

“’And he does this first of all so that everyone should know that he has written the results of his analysis not any old way but that he has really investigated the matter; and secondly, because, whatever you may say, he as a town pharmacist being also an official person will little wish, I think, to make enemies for himself in the town where he lives.