Strong Medicine (32 page)

of success.

But how much longer? Oh, how much longer would he have to wait?

Abruptly he sat upright in his chair and, with an effort of will,

expunged his downcast mood. Opening a drawer of his desk, he selected a

key. fie would go now--once more-he decided, to the private laboratory,

a few steps down the hall, where his research work was done.

8

Vincent Lord's Friend and ally on the Felding-Roth board of directors was

Clinton Etheridge, a successful and prominent New York lawyer who had

pretensions to scientific knowledge. The pretensions were based on the

fact that, for two years as a young man, Etheridge had been a medical

student before deciding to switch to law. As an acquaintance cynically

described the changeover, "Clint diagnosed where the big money was and

prescribed a route to it directly."

Etheridge was now fifty-three. The fact that his brief, incomplete

medical studies had taken place more than a quarter century earlier never

deterred him from making confident pronouncements on scientific matters,

delivered in his best courtroom manner with an implication that they

should be preserved on stone.

It suited Vincent Lord's purposes to flatter Etheridge by appearing to

treat him as a scientific equal. In this way the research director's own

views were often placed before the Felding-Roth board of directors with

the bonus, for Vince Lord, of a lawyer's skilled persuasiveness.

Not surprisingly, at a board meeting called to consider Sam

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Hawthorne's proposal for a British research institute, Clinton Etheridge led

off for the opposition.

The meeting was at Felding-Roth's Boonton headquarters. Fourteen of the

total complement of sixteen directors-all men-were assembled around the

boardroom's traditional walnut table.

Etheridge, who was tall, slightly stooped and cultivated a Lincolnesque

image, began genially. "Were you hoping, Sam, that if this pro-British

thing goes through, they'll be so pleased with you over there, you'll be

invited to tea at Buckingham Palace?"

Sam joined in the general laughter, then shot back, "What I'm really after,

Clint, is a long weekend at Windsor Castle."

"Well," the lawyer said, "I suppose it's an attainable objective, but in my

opinion the oni~ one." He became serious. "What you've proposed seems to me

to overlook the tremendous scientific capability and achievements of our

own country-your country too.,,

Sam had thought about this meeting in advance and had no intention of

letting the argument get away from him. "I haven't overlooked American

achievements in science," he objected. "How could I? They're all around us.

I simply want to supplement them."

Someone else injected, "Then let's use our money to supplement them here."

"The British themselves," Etheridge persisted, "have fostered a myth about

science on their little island somehow being superior. But if that's true,

why does Britain have its so-called 'brain drain'with so many of their best

people hotfooting it over here, to join in U.S. research?"

"They mostly do it," Sam answered, "because our facilities are better, and

more money is available for staff and equipment. But your question, Clint,

supports my argument. This country welcomes British scientists because of

their high quality."

"In your opinion, Sam," Etheridge asked, "what area of scientific research,

relating to this industry, is at present most important?"

"Without question, genetic engineering."

"Exactly." The lawyer nodded, satisfied with the answer. "And isn't it

true-and I speak with some scientific knowledge, as you know-that the

United States has led the world, and continues to, in this genetic field?"

Sam was tempted to smile, but didn't. For once, the pseudoscientist had

allowed himself to be mis-briefed.

"Actually, Clint," Sam said, "it isn't true. As long ago as 1651, in

Britain, William Harvey studied the development of the chick in

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the egg, and so laid the foundations of genetic studies. Also in England,

the study of biochemical genetics was begun in 1908. In between there were

other discoveries, with a good deal of work by an American geneticist, Dr.

Hermann Muller, in the 1920s and onward. But a crowning achievement,

sometimes referred to as 'an explosion in genetic science,' was also in

England-at Cambridge in 1953, when Doctors Watson and Crick discovered the

structure of the DNA molecule for which they won a Nobel Prize." Now Sam

smiled. "Dr. Watson, incidentally, was American-born, which shows that basic

science is international."

Several of the directors chuckled and Etheridge had the grace to look

rueful. He acknowledged, "As we lawyers say, there are questions you wish

you hadn't asked." Then, undeterred, he added, "Nothing that's been said

changes my view that American science is second to none; further, that our

own research quality will suffer if we spread ourselves too thin by setting

up shop in another country."

There were murmurs of agreement until another director, Owen Norton, rapped

his knuckles sharply on the table to command attention. He received it at

once.

Norton, a prestigious, authoritarian figure in his mid-seventies, was

chairman and major stockholder of a communications empire that included a

TV network. It was generally agreed that FeldingRoth was fortunate to have

him on its board. Now, having gained attention, he spoke forcefully in a

loud, rasping voice.

"May I remind all of you that we are discussing-or should bethe serious and

important problems which beset this company. We chose Sam Hawthorne as

president, believing he would give leadership, ideas and guidance. So he

has come up with a proposal embodying all three, and what is happening

here? We are being urged by Clint and others to dismiss it out of hand.

Well, I for one, will not."

Owen Norton glanced at Etheridge, with whom he had clashed at board

meetings before, and his voice became sarcastic. "I also believe, Clint,

you should save your juvenile, flag-waving polemics for a jury which is

less well informed than the members of this board."

There was a momentary silence during which Sam Hawthorne reflected on how

much it might surprise outsiders to discover that corporate board meetings

were seldom conducted on the high intellectual level which many might

expect. While weighty and some-

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times wise decisions could be arrived at, there was often a surprising

amount of low-level argument and petty bickering.

"What the hell does it matter, anyway," Norton continued, "whose science

is superior-Britain's or ours? That isn't the point."

A director asked, "Then what is?"

Norton pounded the table with a fist. "Diversification! In any business,

including mine, it's sometimes an advantage to have a second 'think

tank,' completely separate from and independent of any existing one. And

maybe the best way to get that separation is to put an ocean between the

two."

"It's also a way," someone else said, .of letting costs get out of hand.

"

For nearly an hour the debate continued, with more opposition surfacing

and alternative ideas being put forward. But there was support for Sam's

proposal from several directors, support which Owen Norton's stand had

strengthened, and in the end the opposition dissipated. Finally the

original proposal was approved by a vote of thirteen to one, Clinton

Etheridge the sole dissenter.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Sam acknowledged. "I truly believe that something

productive will come from this decision."

Later the same day he sent for Celia.

"You're moving on," he told her without time-wasting preliminaries. "The

International Division is now behind you. Your new job is special

assistant to the president and you'll be my right hand in setting up a

British research institute."

"All right," Celia acknowledged; the news delighted her, but she kept her

tone as brisk as Sam's. He was showing signs, she thought, of some of the

pressures which inevitably were crowding him. He was now almost totally

bald, only a thin fringe of hair remaining. From her own point of view,

Celia reasoned, there would be time for celebration tonight when she

shared her news with Andrew.

She asked, "When do I start?" Mentally she was calculating how long it

would take to hand over her Latin-American responsibilities. A month

should be enough.

"I'd prefer to make it this afternoon," Sam answered. "But we'll have to

arrange an office for you, so let's say 9 A.M. tomorrow."

"This new assignment you have," Sam explained to Celia next day, "won't

last long. Your main job will be to help get our British research

institute established, staffed and operating. I'd like to have

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that done in a year, though sooner would be better. As soon as possible

after that, we'll find you something else."

The priorities, Sam continued, were to find and appoint a British

scientist who would head the institute, to decide where in Britain it

should be located, then to buy or lease a building-preferably an existing

one capable of being adapted quickly to its new purpose.

Everything was to be on an urgent basis-which was the reason for pulling

Celia so suddenly from International. Sam personally would spearhead the

search for a prestigious, capable scientific director, though Celia would

help as needed. As to the other matters, Celia would handle those, coming

up with recommendations for Sam and others to consider.

Both Sam and Celia would leave for Britain the following week. Before

then, however, they would consult with Vincent Lord who, despite his

opposition to the project, was well informed about British science and

scientists and might have names of candidates to suggest.

The consultation with Dr. Lord took place a few days later in Sam's

office, with Celia present.

To Celia's surprise, Vince Lord was cooperative, even friendly as far as

that capability lay within him. Sam, who understood more of the

background than Celia, realized why. With Felding-Roth now committed to

research in Britain, Lord wanted to control it. But Sam still was

determined not to have that happen.

"I've prepared a list," Lord informed them, "of people who could be

potential candidates. You'll have to approach them discreetly because

they are either professors at universities or are employed by our

competitors."

Sam and Celia examined the list, which contained eight names. "We'll be

discreet," Sam promised, "but we'll also move quickly."

"While you're over there," Lord said, "here's something else you might

look into." From a file he extracted a batch of papers and letters

clipped together. "I've been corresponding with a young scientist at

Cambridge University. He's been doing some interesting work on mental

aging and Alzheimer's disease, but he's run out of money and wants a

grant."

"Alzheimer's," Celia said. "That's when the brain stops functioning,