es,
scorpions, and giant wasps. There was an imposing array of metallic
poisons such as arsenic, mercury, and bismuth. There were the commoner
corrosives--nitric, hydrochloric, phosphoric, and sulphuric acid. And
there were the poisons distilled or extracted from various sources,
among which were strychnine, formic acid, hyoscyamine, and belladonna.

Each of the poisons had one or more antidotes listed; but those
complicated, cautiously worded formulas, Barrent suspected, were
frequently unsuccessful. To make matters more difficult, the efficacy of
an antidote seemed to depend upon a correct diagnosis of the poisoning
agent. And too often the symptoms produced by one poison resembled those
of another.

Barrent pondered these problems while he studied his books. In the
meantime, with considerable nervousness, he served his first customers.

He found that many of his fears were ungrounded. In spite of the dozens
of lethal substances recommended by the Poison Institute, most poisoners
stuck single-mindedly to arsenic or strychnine. They were cheap, sure,
and very painful. Prussic acid had a readily discernible odor, mercury
was difficult to introduce into the system, and the corrosives, although
gratifyingly spectacular, were dangerous to the user. Wolfsbane and fly
agaric were excellent, of course; deadly nightshade could not be
discounted, and the amanita toadstool had its own macabre charm. But
these were the poisons of an older, more leisurely age. The impatient
younger generation--and especially the women, who made up nearly 90 per
cent of the poisoners on Omega--were satisfied with plain arsenic or
strychnine, as the occasion and opportunity demanded.

Omegan women were conservatives. They simply weren't interested in the
never-ending refinements of the poisoner's art. Means didn't interest
them; only ends, as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Omegan women
were noted for their common sense. Although the eager theoreticians at
the Poison Institute tried to sell dubious mixtures of Contact Poison or
Three Day Mold, and worked hard to put across complex, haywire schemes
involving wasps, concealed needles, and double glasses, they found few
takers among women. Simple arsenic and fast-acting strychnine continued
to be the mainstays of the poison trade.

This quite naturally simplified Barrent's work. His remedies--immediate
regurgitation, lavage, neutralizing agent--were easy enough to master.

He encountered some