Stardate: 60626:2350
Title: Medical Horrors
Author: Dr Edward Matthews
Time: Current
Scene: Tharan 3 - Isolation Lab


Ted was unusual. It had often been commented on by his work colleagues who were surprised by his quirkiness. For example, by his facial structure you could tell that he was part-Cardassian and yet he had none of the mannerisms or ideals of the Cardassian people. Those who got close enough soon realised that this wasn't so strange since he had never met his Cardassian father and had been bought up on earth by his human grandparents. However, everyone would agree that humming tunelessly whilst performing an autopsy is strange and yet as Ted cut, measured, weighed, prodded and examined the deceased he hummed his tuneless tune.

It wasn't that Dr Matthew's enjoyed the ghoulish dissection of those unlucky enough to end up on his autopsy table. It was that by humming he could completely focus on his work and keep out the depressing thoughts of what he was doing and he could stop his mind wandering over the pointlessness of death and the heartache it was now causing loved ones and all the dreams that had been shattered and left unfulfilled.

After three intense hours Ted's muscles were starting to burn and he felt sweaty and disgusting in his decontamination suit. Having recorded the autopsy Ted turned to the camera to summarise his findings.

"This viral infection is particularly tricky and nasty. The way it spread so quickly among those who came into contact with it suggests that it is either airborne or perhaps through touch. Either way we need to ascertain how long it can survive in this climate without a host body. Once it enters the body the mutated version of the virus infects ordinary red blood cells without obvious signs of infection, and thus the body's natural defence system does not attack it. As such, once in the blood stream it uses the body to make more of its own - and it replicates rapidly. From examining the organs in the body it seems to have left most of them intact. However, the heart seems enlarged, and I hypothesise more due to great stress than infection as I found no trace of the virus in the heart. Instead, its primary target was the brain; once in the brain it started to utilise the tissue as raw material. In this particular case it headed for the pain centre."

The Doctor paused and took a steadying breath.

"Once it had eroded that part of the brain the individual would have had no natural defence against any pain that the virus inflicted. The progression then moved to the hindbrain and caused enough damage to stop simple motor functions. In my opinion this would have put stress on the heart causing it to over work. As the virus continued to do damage shutting down normal body responses and communications with in the brain it put too great a stress on the heart, which eventually gave out."

Ted switched off the recording device and tidied up. He popped into the first isolation lab and found Tammin soothingly talking to the patient. Checking the stats there was a marked improvement in his condition. Leaving the isolation area he went in search of the Captain.

Scott Deadilus was sitting in the office that had formally belonged to Dr Beckett. He looked up as Ted entered. Taking the seat opposite the Captain, Ted explained his findings. When he was finished the Doctor sat back in his chair and waited for the Captain's comments.

"From the research that Dr Beckett and his team did in the short time after the virus mutated and took a detrimental effect on all of them, they managed to establish that the virus isn't airborne - it is spread through physical contact. They also studied the virus outside of the body and it has a short life span. The reason it spread so quickly was just blind panic." The Captain finished what he had learnt.

"From what I have learned from the autopsy - death came to these people in a variety of ways, but was usually excruciating ugly and painful. I can understand that some form of primeval deep-rooted survival instinct would kick in and cause hysterical panic."

They sat in silence for several minutes.

"Doctor, I want you to confirm Dr Beckett's results as far as you can. No one is to remove their decontamination suit outside of this sterile area until you have confirmed it isn't airborne and it dies quickly when not in a host body."

Ted got to his feet.

"Understood, Sir."

Making his way back to the labs Ted mentally ran through the tests he would have to perform.


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Dr Edward Matthews (Lt.)
Chief Medical Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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