The Big Headache by Jim Harmon

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About this eBook

Author Harmon, Jim, 1933-2010
Illustrator Dyas
Title The Big Headache
Credits Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Summary "The Big Headache" by Jim Harmon is a science fiction novella written in the early 1960s. The story revolves around themes of medical ethics, the consequences of scientific experimentation, and human cognition. It focuses on the potential for a new treatment aimed at curing headaches, which leads to unforeseen and dramatic results concerning intelligence and mental capacity. In "The Big Headache," biologists Dr. Ferris and Dr. Mitchell seek to test their experimental virus that purports to eliminate headaches by affecting the pituitary gland. They persuade the renowned mathematician, Dr. Elliot Macklin, who suffers from severe migraines, to participate in their trial. Initially successful in alleviating his pain, the procedure drastically reduces Macklin's intelligence, transforming him into a simple-minded man who rejects returning to his previous self. This state of bliss raised ethical dilemmas regarding autonomy, mental capacity, and whether it is better to live in ignorance without suffering or to be burdened by the pressures of a complex mind. The story culminates in Dr. Ferris envisioning a future where they can profit from this discovery, while the moral implications of their actions hang over them, illustrating the balance between scientific ambition and ethical responsibility. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Short stories
Subject Scientists -- Fiction
Subject Experiments -- Fiction
Category Text
EBook-No. 61228
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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