Astounding British Edition, Vol. 9, No. 10

Astounding Science Fiction — October 1953 (British Edition) This issue contains three science fiction works. "Medicine Show" by Robert Moore Williams is a novelette following Dr. Harmon, a small-town physician who investigates a tent show run by two mysterious men—a smooth-talking spieler and a bald man named Yanvro claiming to hold a degree from the University of Telinka. Yanvro operates equipment behind a control panel and demonstrates unusual diagnostic capabilities, producing allergic reactions in Harmon. The narrative explores Harmon's philosophical approach to medicine and the ethical tension between established physicians and unconventional practitioners. The second installment of Hal Clement's "Mission of Gravity" continues a four-part serial. Additional short fiction includes "Multifarious" by Algis Budrys and "Lady with a Past" by Irving E. Cox, Jr. The cover art is credited to Baer.