from
this malignant radiation. Then a new region develops in perhaps an
entirely different region of the Sun. Sometimes there may be several
different S-Regions all going at once.

LATHAM. Why were not the S-Regions discovered long ago?

NIEMAND. Because the radio exploration of the Sun only began since the
end of World War II.

LATHAM. How does it happen that you only got patients suffering from
S-radiation since about 1955?

NIEMAND. I think we did get such patients previously but not in large
enough numbers to attract attention. Also the present sunspot cycle
started its rise to maximum about 1954.

LATHAM. Is there no way of escaping the S-radiation?

NIEMAND. I'm afraid the only sure way is to keep on the unilluminated
side of the Earth which is rather difficult to do. Apparently the
corpuscular beam from an S-Region is several degrees wide and not very
sharply defined, since its effects are felt simultaneously over the
entire continent. Hillyard and Middletown are working on some form of
shielding device but so far without success.

LATHAM. What is the present state of S-Region activity?

NIEMAND. At the present moment there happens to be no S-Region activity
on the Sun. But a new one may develop at any time. Also, the outlook for
a decrease in activity is not very favorable. Sunspot activity continues
at a high level and is steadily mounting in violence. The last sunspot
cycle had the highest maximum of any since 1780, but the present cycle
bids fair to set an all time record.

LATHAM. And so you believe that the S-Regions are the cause of most of
the present trouble in the world. That it is not ourselves but something
outside ourselves--

NIEMAND. That is the logical outcome of our investigation. We are
controlled and swayed by forces which in many cases we are powerless to
resist.

LATHAM. Could we not be warned of the presence of an S-Region?

NIEMAND. The trouble is they seem to develop at random on the Sun. I'm
afraid any warning system would be worse than useless. We would be
crying WOLF! all the time.

LATHAM. How may a person who is not particularly susceptible to this
malignant radiation know that one of these regions is active?

NIEMAND. If you have a feeling of restlessness and anxiety, if you are
unable to concentrate, if you feel suddenly depressed and discouraged
about yourself, or are filled with resentment toward the world, then you
may be pretty sure that an S-Region is passing