In the future, humanity has split into a small minority of supergeniuses and
those of normal intelligence, and a much larger group of dimwits, as described
in "The Marching Morons". The geniuses masquerade as assistants to the morons,
the better to covertly manage them and keep them out of trouble.
A "physicist" goads his minder into giving him specifications for a time
machine. The faux physicist builds it, and uses it to send a "doctor" friend's
highly-automated medical kit into the past (our present), where it is found by
Dr. Full, a physician who has succumbed to alcoholism and fallen to the bottom
level of society. At first attributing its advanced properties and unfamiliar
components to medical advances made since he last practiced, he uses it to heal
a seriously injured young child. However, the patient's cynical
eighteen-year-old sister, Angie, discovers the patent application date on one
of the instruments (2450) and is quick to grasp the financial opportunities.
She blackmails Full into taking her on as a partner. […]
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All books by C M Kornbluth
