toxicology | day 215 {backdated to afternoon} | open to all!
[ today, piter de vries seems positively chipper. why? because today marks the first lecture of toxicology— the first step in his plan to play around with what "rehabilitation points" will get him. but also, he's just quite fond of lecturing. piter loves to (hear himself) talk. ]
Very good, very good. [ he has settled into room 218 of the educational center as much as a man like piter can settle anywhere, and is watching people file in with fingertips together and pressed to his lips. when the clock strikes two o'clock, he gets up from behind the desk and strides to the front of it, whiteless eyes sweeping over the room. ]
Welcome to Toxicology. There are a number of things one must learn in a field such as this; I seek to cover them briefly in this first lecture before moving on to a more formulaic structure. Now, shall we discuss the most basic forms? We shall, of course. [ he smirks. he'll be doing a lot of that. not being interrupted or questioned like this is so terribly rewarding. ]
In my language, there are two most broad categories of poison: chaumas— also referred to as "aumas" and administered in solid food- and chaumurky, administered in drink. Some call it "musky," though you will only do so if you wish to sound like a hapless rice farmer or perhaps ascend to the upper echelon of the "fisherman" class. In any case, there are, of course, other varieties of poisons that cannot be categorized so generally— perhaps a gaseous neurotoxin released into a sealed chamber, or a liquid brushed onto the tip of a blade that will destroy the flesh it touches. A virtue of poison is that nearly anything— anything— can be harmful. "Too much of a good thing," eh? It can kill you. Too much water will drown a man dying of thirst. Sola dosis facit venenum— the dose makes the poison. Even the materials of an antidote can create devilish toxicity.
Basic knowledge of chemistry is vital in this field, as is some vague knowledge of human biology. One must be aware of how not to poison himself in the brewing or undoing of a poison, of how certain compounds react in contact with tissue, of catalysts, of the many facets of poison... [ he goes on this way for a while, touching on this aspect of biology and that of chemistry and throwing in the names of a few toxins here and there— generally being a know-it-all and infodumping all over the place. it's one of his specialties. ] ... I do not expect a single one of you to recall the definition of the activation complex, if I may be frank— and I may, of course, seeing as this is my class. No, I'm afraid haven't such high hopes. I merely seek to convey the great variety of sciences that contribute to toxicology: chemistry, biology, even psychology and criminology.
Do we have students of doctor Reid in attendance? These courses are different sides of the same coin, to use a saying. [ he pops off the desk and starts to pace around, gesticulating subtly as he speaks. ] The two fields can work in symbiosis, or at odds. For example: the Federal Bureau of Investigation finds a corpse bloated and oozing with toxins! The Behavioral Analysis Unit busies itself hunting for motive and evidence— evidence largely uncovered by one well-versed in toxicology. We shall say that this particular killer was rather unimaginative, mixing some cocktail of common chemicals to suit his needs— and because he was lax, not vigilant enough, he is caught.
Now! Onto a substance that some may be familiar with: the venom of a hyena wasp. Secreted through the stinger from a gland in the lower abdomen, it has been observed to cause all manner of side-effects— perspiration, euphoria, relaxation or exhaustion, heightened senses, uncontrollable laughter, hallucinations. A highly unpleasant experience, I can assure you— and one that wears off slowly, with no yet known solution. I am attempting to see to that, however. [ a smile touches his lips for just a moment before he stops abruptly, slipping out of lecture-mode. ]
Ah, and that concludes today's lecture. [ at last, he settles back in behind the desk. just as he takes his seat, the second hand on the clock in the back of the room ticks onto three o'clock. ]
Impeccable timing, no?
(( ooc: starting off toxicology with a bang! and by that, i mean a whole lot of words. the next classes will not be this long, i assure you!
tox is held in an open lecture format, so feel free to mingle! come one, come all! piter has a thread here, and there's more information on the class here. ))