Page 90 - Just Deserts

PIVOT

The professor scratched at his chin through a tangle of beard.
“Bachelor of science at the Vermont Institute of Technology;
master’s and doctorate from the University of New England. My
thesis concerned the frequency and distribution of genetic
abnormalities among populations exposed to various household
cleaning products and food additives.”
“Uh, just curious: which populations?”
“As I recall, the samples were taken in the United States, Paraguay
and Inner Mongolia.”
Fuller scribbled furiously. “I see. To the uninformed, that might
sound as if you had an early interest in public health. Did you ever
consider working for the FDA or the Center for Disease Control?”
Kingswater laughed in harsh monosyllables, exposing unnaturally
red lips beneath his facial hair. “Certainly not! I am a geneticist, not
an epidemiologist. My interest is in discovering the rules by which
organisms are constructed. It so happens that my graduate and
postdoctoral research builds upon principles I elicited from my first
studies of the building blocks of life, but this was intentional. I have
always known what I wanted to do.”
“And that is...?”
“Exactly what I have done, after twenty years of work! I finally
proved my theory and perfected my method. The FDA and every
other agency in the world responsible for regulating the chemical
environment in which human beings exist will soon have a new
agenda—thanks to me!”
The journalist frowned at his notes. “New agenda...well, I don’t
think I understand yet, sir. What is your theory, if I may ask?”
“You may. In fact, I should get used to explaining PIVOT in
simple terms. That’s an acronym of ‘paramorphic idiotropism via
ontogenetic transmutation.’ It’s my ticket to fame and fortune—but
don’t print that! Now, as most people with two brain cells are aware,
their physiological capabilities are largely determined by inheritance.
You can increase muscle strength, you can develop antibodies, you
can psychologically habituate to a variety of stimuli—but you can’t
immunize yourself against, say, agent orange or carbon tetrachloride.
If enough of those toxins get into your body, you have no defense;
and the number of such manmade substances has expanded
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