B542 <=> B544 (BTG XXXI Last sojourn to Earth, p. 543)

“But if the house to which such a terrestrial ‘Zirlikner’ is called for help to a needy being smells of what are called ‘canceled-German-marks,’ then his inner being-wish to help the person in need also increases, but only in this respect, that he may write out as quickly as possible what is called a ‘prescription,’ invented by the Germans, and the more quickly leave the house.

“Here also, I must tell you that when in this second case the contemporary terrestrial beings who have the profession of physician leave the house of the person who needed their help and walk along the street, then all their exteriors, even the muscles of their faces, invariably express something as follows: ‘Eh, you curs, look out! otherwise I shall crush you like cockroaches; don’t you see that here comes not just anybody, but a genuine representative of science who has fully assimilated the knowledge given by the highest contemporary seat of learning!!’

“It will be most opportune now to tell you a little also concerning those ‘medicinal means’ I mentioned, which exist there in great numbers under every kind of name and which on the advice of these contemporary physicians are introduced into themselves by other ordinary beings, ostensibly as an aid in their various illnesses.

“And it is also infallibly necessary to tell you about it . . . for . . . who knows . . . you too may suddenly have to exist at some time or other on that peculiar planet among these queer folk, and you would not know how to deal with these numerous medicinal means and what significance to give them.

“First of all, know and remember this that the young three-brained beings there, particularly of the most recent times, who prepare themselves to take, when they arrive at the age of responsible existence, the profession of a physician only learn by rote as many names as possible from among the many thousands of these said medicinal means now known there.