Read Online Scorpion's Advance by Ken McClure - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ken McClure
Tags: Scotland
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there haven't been times when I've asked myself the very same question, on days when it's a hundred and twenty degrees and one hundred per cent humidity and the air conditioning breaks down because there's a power cut and so on. But basically it's because we're Jewish and we both felt that supporting Israel with words just wasn't enough any more. Israel needs people, not just stateless, displaced people starting from scratch or running from some oppressive regime, but established, professional people, people who want to work here. These are the people who will give credence to Israeli science, medicine and the arts. These are the people who will provide the infrastructure for our future. Does that make sense?'
Anderson said that it did. He asked if her husband also worked in the university.
'No. Sam is director of the Kalman Institute in Hadera. It's a commercial concern doing contract research and the like but Sam still continues his work.'
'Does he like it here? Do you like it here?'
'We both do,' smiled Myra. 'People do things in Israel; they don't just sit around all day talking about it.'
Strauss re-joined them, rubbing his hands. 'Good,' he said, 'I see you two are getting to know each other.' He turned to Anderson and said, 'I have asked Myra to assist you with your experiments while you are here. Do you think you can work together?'
'I'm sure we can,' Anderson said with a smile, looking at Myra and getting a smile in return.
'Good, then I'll leave you to discuss details. Perhaps when you are ready we can talk?'
'Of course,' said Anderson.
Myra fetched her notebook and took down details of the kind of experiments Anderson would be likely to carry out during his visit. They discussed likely requirements in the way of glassware and specialized lab apparatus before getting round to talking about probable animal experiments. Anderson asked if the package containing plasmid cultures and Galomycin that he had sent on ahead had arrived.
Myra nodded. 'In the fridge.'
Anderson said that he had better go and talk to Strauss and asked her if she would check out the experimental animal situation.
'Guinea pigs or mice?'
‘Pigs.'
'Will do.'
Anderson joined Strauss in his office where they spoke briefly of the magnificent view of Tel Aviv from the window before settling down to talk. For Anderson, it was a revelation. Here in his own environment, the research lab, Strauss was no longer the pleasant old gentleman from the park bench. He was a giant. They spoke, or rather Strauss spoke and Anderson listened while Strauss talked of science and medicine in general, highlighting the problems, the possibilities, the likelihoods, the uncertainties, with an ease and intellectual insight that left Anderson in awe of the man. There just did not seem to be any area of investigation that Strauss was not familiar with, and not just in general terms, for he appeared to be conversant with state-of-the-art research in any branch of medicine that Anderson cared to mention.
The pleasure Anderson took in listening to Strauss seemed to accentuate the dull, boring nature of so many of the seminars that he had attended back home where he would applaud politely at the end of yet more dotting of ' i's and crossing of 't's. He would grin and bear it as questions were asked dutifully by students who had been taught that asking questions proclaimed intelligence.
Since qualifying, Anderson had discovered that research was not the fast-flowing current that many imagined it to be. In many ways it was a log jam of mediocrity, with too many researchers wallowing happily in little eddies by the bank. Strauss was different; he had vision. He could see a long way downstream, pick out the rocks on which projects would founder, identify the difficult bends where more knowledge would be required than existed at present.
Anderson was sorry when Strauss came to the point and said, 'And now, my friend . . . the plasmid problem.' He rose from his chair,
Anderson said that it did. He asked if her husband also worked in the university.
'No. Sam is director of the Kalman Institute in Hadera. It's a commercial concern doing contract research and the like but Sam still continues his work.'
'Does he like it here? Do you like it here?'
'We both do,' smiled Myra. 'People do things in Israel; they don't just sit around all day talking about it.'
Strauss re-joined them, rubbing his hands. 'Good,' he said, 'I see you two are getting to know each other.' He turned to Anderson and said, 'I have asked Myra to assist you with your experiments while you are here. Do you think you can work together?'
'I'm sure we can,' Anderson said with a smile, looking at Myra and getting a smile in return.
'Good, then I'll leave you to discuss details. Perhaps when you are ready we can talk?'
'Of course,' said Anderson.
Myra fetched her notebook and took down details of the kind of experiments Anderson would be likely to carry out during his visit. They discussed likely requirements in the way of glassware and specialized lab apparatus before getting round to talking about probable animal experiments. Anderson asked if the package containing plasmid cultures and Galomycin that he had sent on ahead had arrived.
Myra nodded. 'In the fridge.'
Anderson said that he had better go and talk to Strauss and asked her if she would check out the experimental animal situation.
'Guinea pigs or mice?'
‘Pigs.'
'Will do.'
Anderson joined Strauss in his office where they spoke briefly of the magnificent view of Tel Aviv from the window before settling down to talk. For Anderson, it was a revelation. Here in his own environment, the research lab, Strauss was no longer the pleasant old gentleman from the park bench. He was a giant. They spoke, or rather Strauss spoke and Anderson listened while Strauss talked of science and medicine in general, highlighting the problems, the possibilities, the likelihoods, the uncertainties, with an ease and intellectual insight that left Anderson in awe of the man. There just did not seem to be any area of investigation that Strauss was not familiar with, and not just in general terms, for he appeared to be conversant with state-of-the-art research in any branch of medicine that Anderson cared to mention.
The pleasure Anderson took in listening to Strauss seemed to accentuate the dull, boring nature of so many of the seminars that he had attended back home where he would applaud politely at the end of yet more dotting of ' i's and crossing of 't's. He would grin and bear it as questions were asked dutifully by students who had been taught that asking questions proclaimed intelligence.
Since qualifying, Anderson had discovered that research was not the fast-flowing current that many imagined it to be. In many ways it was a log jam of mediocrity, with too many researchers wallowing happily in little eddies by the bank. Strauss was different; he had vision. He could see a long way downstream, pick out the rocks on which projects would founder, identify the difficult bends where more knowledge would be required than existed at present.
Anderson was sorry when Strauss came to the point and said, 'And now, my friend . . . the plasmid problem.' He rose from his chair,
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