Little known facts about stabilization shots

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May 2012

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[Betony Baryl]

1) AGE WHEN SHOTS WERE GIVEN
It was said, Gorean men preferred a more matured female.  Thus the stabilization shots were not given to females until they were at least in their early twenties. (Men were given shots their late twenties to early thirties) To stabilize them younger was considered "mean."  So don't be surprised if the Treve physicians refuse to stabilize a young patient!!!!

On the other hand, most Gorean slave girls, she had gathered, were as though in their early twenties. Most of the older women, she gathered, had been returned to that point and stabilized there. (Prize of Gor)

"But it pleased me,” he said, “to have had you made as young as you are, to give you such a meaningless, trivial age, a mere lovely eighteen, though I cost myself some coins in the business. It was a delicious part of my vengeance upon you."
(Prize of Gor page 177)

*** Comment:  Why is everyone so young in years is SL Gor??  The stabilization shots extended health and youthfulness usually for HUNDREDS of years.  Matthew Cabot was 600 years old.  Parp was 300 years old.  Torvald was 1000 years old!  And Betony is . . . Not polite to ask a lady how old she is!  LOL  (I've heard 150 years old)


2) IT WAS RARE THAT SOMEONE DIDN'T NEED THE SHOTS
It seems to be the current trend to insist you don't need shots if you say you are Gorean born.  This quote shows that it was RARE when even children born of Gorean parents didn't need the shots.  When Tarl was brought to Gor he was given the shots without even testing.  He was told he may not have needed them, by why take the chance!

 "Do some not require the serum'?" I asked. "Some, said Sucha, "but these individuals are rare, and are the offspring of individuals who have had the serums." "Why is this?" I asked. "I do not know," said Sucha "Men differ."
(Slave Girl of Gor, page 282)


3) TWO TYPES OF SERUMS
The Gorean Physician's stabilization serum wasn't as good as the serum developed by the Priest-Kings

Of course." said Misk, "their serums are not as effective as ours and sometimes do not function, and sometimes the effect wears off after only a few hundred years."
~Priest Kings of Gor,  page 124~


4) THE SHOTS COULD "TURN BACK THE CLOCK"
"There has been a new development in the Stabilization Serums, or, better, I suppose, serums rather analogous to the Stabilization Serums, a development which has occurred in my own lifetime, indeed, within the last few years,” he said. “In this development, though there are dangers associated with it, and it is not always effective, it is often possible to reverse the typical aging process, to an earlier point, and then stabilize it at that point."
(Prize of Gor page 37)

[dana Tehani]

ty betony! that was an awesome read.

[Rhylee Resident]

Great information Bets! I've often been asked questions about the serums and had little info to offer...until now!

[Zalika Hyx]

Thanks for the info!  Very informative and with facts I have not heard before.  I will incorperate it into my rp.   

[Betony Baryl]

Thanks for your feedback!  I may repost these over on the Gor SL main page just so others might be exposed to this knowledge.   

Here is some more basic information about Stabilization Shots:

Four shots were given in the lower back above the left hip over a series of four days.  After the 4th shot was administered, a blood test was given to verify the patient had a sufficient level of serum.  (It's hard enough to chase down a Green to get the exam done in the first place!  I will try to meet with the patient 4 times is they really want the role play; but with SL this is very nearly impossible.  I often take a blood test the first day and will role play that the slave may have received the other shots shortly after arriving on the acquisition ship or was once free and now that he/she has reached a suitable age requires only a "booster" shot.)  The shots transformed every cell in their body.

While the shots developed by the Gorean physicians gave most recipients a longer, healthier life (hundreds of years); some would react poorly to the shots and in fact start rapidly aging.

The shots made Gorean resistant to most diseases and allowed them to heal faster than Earthlings.  The shots, coupled with their more active lifestyles (primitive transport and less convenience gadgets) made for very healthy Goreans  It did not make them invincible or able to regenerate body parts or resurrect from the dead.  They could suffer permanent damage and not everything was "healable".

[Zalika Hyx]

The shots made Gorean resistant to most diseases and allowed them to heal faster than Earthlings.  The shots, coupled with their more active lifestyles (primitive transport and less convenience gadgets) made for very healthy Goreans  It did not make them invincible or able to regenerate body parts or resurrect from the dead.  They could suffer permanent damage and not everything was "healable".

Exactly!  It is pretty amusing at times the rp that some patients want to do.  I've heard of some cases of limbs being hacked off on the battlefield and the warriors wanting it reattached days later.  Yeah..that limb is dead.  *chuckles*   Or, a slave that inhaled smoke and other debris into her lungs from a fire.  Again, that would typically be fatal on Gor, since they do not have hyperbaric chamber.

I guess my point is some think the stabilization serum makes you invincible, which is not the case.

[Betony Baryl]

Yes Zalika!  A quick IM to these role players to warn them what my decision will be on their role play, usually transforms a fall from the top of a 10 story building into a tumble down a flight of stairs!  Heh heh heh

 

[Xaz Elephas]

I agree, thanks for posting this, I was always sketchy on these shots. A Gorean has to only take them once right?

On this quote would the person start aging?

Of course." said Misk, "their serums are not as effective as ours and sometimes do not function, and sometimes the effect wears off after only a few hundred years."
~Priest Kings of Gor,  page 124~

[Anarch Allegiere]

Wasn't there this famous Kaissa player on which the stabilisation shots didn't work very well, thus causing him to look like an old man with a long gray beard?

[Betony Baryl]

Xaz:  The one shot for Gorean born is part conjecture and part convenience.  There are no solid references or quotes to how stabilization shots were done for Gorean born.  Not even sure if it was enumerated as to how many shots Tarl was given.  (I need to find that passage in the books!) (Was the 4 shots just for earth captives brought to Gor?)   Presumably the children of Gorean parents, though they would inherit the serum through their parents, had weak enough levels that allowed them to age to young adults.  Once they have reached the appropriate age; a stabilization shot would be given to stabilize them.  CONJECTURE:  The one shot?  Already have serum in the blood, so one shot may be all that is needed for the final stabilizing shot.  CONVENIENCE:  How successful are you at finding a Green to rp getting shots 4 days in a row.  LOL

After the shot wears off:  This is conjecture as well.  No quotes.  But yes, I would say they would start to age.   I feel that if it wore off and another shot could be given; it would've been said or it may not have been necessary to point out that the difference between the physician's and the PK's serum.. 


Anarch:  Yes!  Here is the quote:

The Player was a rather old man, extremely unusual on Gor, where the stabilization serums were developed centuries ago by the Caste of Physicians in Ko-ro-ba and Ar, and transmitted to the physicians of other cities at several of the Sardar Fairs. Age, on Gor, interestingly, was regarded, and still is, by the caste of Physicians as a disease, not an inevitable natural phenomenon. The fact that it seemed a universal disease did not dissuade the caste from considering how it might be combated. Accordingly the work of centuries was turned to this end. Many other diseases, which presumably flourished centuries ago on Gor, tended to be neglected, as less dangerous and less universal then that of aging. A result tended to be that those less susceptible lived on, propagating their kind.
(Assassins of Gor, page 30)

[Caliway]

One thing I've never understood is why there is no illness on Gor.  I don't know a lot about medicine, but I do know that most sicknesses occur because viruses enter the body.  Those viruses are attacked by white blood cells through the use of antibodies.  It are those antibodies which can be credited with fighting the illness.

I don't believe the stabilization shot would carry all known antibodies.  I think a more likely explanation is that the shock will enhance the strength of the white blood cells so that they react faster.  That being said, I would say that illness and disease are still quite common on Gor.  They're just eliminated faster than they are on earth.

Where would take a week to fight the cold on earth it would only take a matter of hours to fight it on Gor.

Personally, I think this will open up a whole lot more role playthe Green caste.  People can suffer from the disease for a day or so.  And the Physicians will have a little more to do than just perform slave exams.

[Betony Baryl]

Cal, I'm glad you brought this up!  That was actually one of  the next threads I wanted to bring up.  But with this thread, opens up a whole pandora box of bitter arguments . . at least among the Green Caste.

Some have read the following quote and have interpreted it to mean there was NO disease.  This is a big subject and has caused the Green Caste to rip each other to shreds!!! 

QUOTE
At any rate disease is now almost unknown among the Gorean cities, with the exception of the dreaded Dar-Kosis disease or the holy disease, research upon which is generally frowned upon by the caste of initiates who insist the disease is a visitation of the displeasure of the Priest-Kings on its recipients.
(Assassins of Gor, page 27)


Personally, I believe that there was some disease and illness; just not as much because the stabilization shots made Goreans more resistant and better able to combat medical problems.  I did find a quote that shows there was bacterium on Gor.  Bacterium is not necessarily all bad; in fact it is vital to the biological functioning of the human body!  And again, not all responded as well to the serum; so wouldn't have had the same strong resistance to illnesses, disease or deformity (such as in Assassins with misshapen foot that was passed down to the son)   So yes!!!  I think it's fair to rp colds, deformities and diseases.   And certainly people are subject to severe conditions such as extended exposure to heat or cold (pneumonia). 

As for more rp, Yes!  And more variety to add interest is welcome.  Although I have to add, that many of us are not RL medical professionals and have a huge commitment to learning medical lore to add realism to our rp.  Introducing more medical conditions to our slate will send me back to the internet researching and interpreting solutions into viable Gorean methods . . but I welcome the challenge!

[Vesper Blaisdale]

I was wondering how one should role-play the after effects of the shots?  Is there anything in the books relative to symptoms or side-effects?  I know Bet told me IC that there would be intense pain, but immediately?  At some given interval afterwards?  Any details would be helpful.  :-)

[Betony Baryl]

These are the only quotes I have that talks about the pain.  It sounds like the pain started right away and ended quickly.  Again, this is conjecture as it isn't clearly stated.  It said she was bound for several minutes and then released.  So does that mean a) intense pain for a short bit and then released  b) or just a painful shot as it enters?  c) or a shot that is painful as it slowly works to regenerate the cells but allows the recipient to get up and walk away?   My interpretation is:  Intense pain felt right after the reaction that is short-lived.

QUOTES
I had spent eight days in the slave pens, waiting the night of the sale. I had been examined medically, in detail, and had had administered to me, while I lay bound, helplessly, a series of painful shots, the purpose of which I did not understand. They were called the stabilization serums.
Slave Girl

I screamed. The shot was painful. It was entered in the small of my back, over the left hip.
They left me secured to the table for several minutes and then the physician returned to check the shot. There had been, apparently, no unusual reaction.
I was then freed.
Captive

I always role play staying around for some time so i can make sure there was no side effects.  Again, the only side effects mentioned was that it could hasten the aging process.

QUOTE
But different human beings respond differently to the Stabilization Serums, and the Serums are more effective with some than with others. With some the effect lasts indefinitely, with others it wears off after but a few hundred years, with some the effect does not occur at all, with others, tragically, the effect is not to stabilize the pattern but to hasten its degeneration.
Assassin

[Victor Warilard]

I was wondering how one should role-play the after effects of the shots?  Is there anything in the books relative to symptoms or side-effects?  I know Bet told me IC that there would be intense pain, but immediately?  At some given interval afterwards?  Any details would be helpful.  :-)

Damn! If I had known it cause so much pain I might have watched...er...I mean been there to console you.