Ken Barns wrote:
 > Well, the descriptions of Fast and Slow drugs as written _are_ kind
of magical.

Marc Miller apparently did describe Traveller as "Dungeons and Dragons
in space" on several occasions. I don't think we should take this
literally, canon or tradition be damned.

 > Fast slows metabolism and perception (so presumably mental processes
 > too) by a factor of 60.

Neurones can't generate action potentials at that level, so there's no
perception or consciousness. Heck, cells can't maintain their volume and
electric properties at that level (sodium-potassium ATPase accounts for
20-60% of basal metabolism depending on cell type).

 > However, if we are talking about more realistic prognostications
 > about SF health care and medicine, then I would direct all list
 > members to the fabulous GURPS 4thEd Bio-Tech.  (Gee, it almost looks
 > as though a doctor had input into the Medical Technology chapter of
 > that book!)

Yep. Made the playtester list on p.2.

 > That has me wondering how the body gets through 30 days of intake of
 > O2, H2O, nutrients etc (and output of metabolic waste products) in 24
hours.

The Bacta Tank in "Star Wars" is actually a liquid radiator system to
deal with this sort of problem. The less said about the required fluid,
gas and waste disposal lines the better...

 > we still have to deal with the downsides of the effect 30
 > (subjective) days of unconsciousness and loss of active mobility.

It is one objective day of anaesthesia. Another day in the office.

I did say 'something like' slow drug. 4-7:1 time compression seems
reasonable. 30x doesn't. Elite athletes have a factorial scope of about 20x.

 > ...the thing I found toughest to deal with as an ICU reg was the
 > amount of resources being spent on patients with only a small chance
 > of returning to a reasonable quality of life.

It doesn't get any easier, especially with the aging, increasingly frail
population.

Sometimes it is the unrealistic expectations of family and other craft
groups.*

Sometimes it is the sunk cost fallacy being played out.

Going back to Jim's initial post:
"Physitar" grates on me the longer I think about it.

There are perfectly good words which would fit without needing to coin
neologisms: emissary, ambassador, proxy, instance, process, spawn... avatar!

Rob O'Connor
* Thus, the old medical riddle:
Q: Why are coffins nailed shut?
A: To prevent attempts at dialysis and chemotherapy.