Heddis threw out his hands helplessly.
Princeton, who was weak upon the classics, spoke.
“Sinister!” he breathed heavily.
“Used to be used for whooping cough,” Cub Sterling clipped gruffly.
The information, for the shadow of a second before Dr. Heddis began speaking again, made the pupils of Hoffbein’s eyes dilate slightly. Bear Sterling’s eyes were pin points needling themselves past the grave figure of MacArthur and into the long face of Heddis, who continued:
“Can be prepared synthetically by means of the same cadaveric alkaloid, or ptomaine, that is formed in putrefaction of cadavers, that is, cadaverine or penta-methylene-diamine.”
Hoffbein began to squirm slightly.
“The injection, C8H17N (Conium maculatum), presumably combined with lactic acid is colorless and gradually turns yellow and brown in the air.”
Dr. Barton rose and leaned close to Dr. Heddis’ ear.
“In your opinion would the person who gave this ... drug ... require a knowledge of chemistry?”