JUPONIUM

I start with a story: ‘I am on Gaia2 – earth’s twin – which is about 800 years behind earth in evolution and live in a village with my wife. Since we lived in a tropical village we didn’t need much climatic protection. That is why we natives covered ourselves only from waist down. Mine was a big farm and I had chicken and ducks on our land. We had a pool at the end of our land in which fish were stocked. Grains were supplied to us from fields of others. We had cows too, and we produced honey ourselves. We produced oil working the manual extractor.

My duties were clearly defined. I had to supervise operations. We had several farm hands – both men and women – working for us who would come to work in the mornings and stay on till the evening. Men would climb coconut trees to pluck coconuts besides for tapping toddy. Others would work on vegetable plants and fruit besides flower trees. We had a variety of fruit trees jack fruit, mango, pomelo and so on which gave a good harvest in season. For oil production we had an annular circular pit in which a stone would circulate crushing the grains to extract oil. The operation would be carried out by bullocks. To water the plants we had 3 wells which would be pedalled by farmhands to make water flow to the plants.

That morning there was an incident when a woman labourer hit a male farm hand. I went and enquired and was told he had made lewd remarks when she was doing before-milking procedure. The woman wasn’t married and the man was after her. I helped resolve the issue. As I was going to the flower garden there was a visitor. She was known as Doc as she was a medico and was a young good-looking lady. She had come as usual to order certain leaves and flowers to produce medicines. She gave me a list and said “Items 3 and 4 are needed very urgently as they are out of stock with us. You know we have to dry, crush, boil some of these and grind them with oils etc. We use grinding stones and grind economically as drug constituents are expensive. I’ve come to you again as your prices are reasonable. And your honey is first class for manufacturing drugs.”

I studied the list and said “I’ve all that you need. I‘ll send them to your place.” She paid me and I was happy. Doc was earning enough and more, and invariably paid the bill amounts immediately. I liked her approach.

As usual I paid the daily wage to the farm hands that evening and went home. It was dark by then and my wife was waiting to have dinner with me in our house which was lit by oil lamps. We went to bed early where she said “I don’t like you socialising so much with that Doc. You’ve been favourably influenced by her due to her prompt payment for supplies. I’ve learnt from a secret source that she isn’t reliable. She could even be after you.”

I said “I treat her just like my other customers. I find her honest in her dealings.”

“Her husband who is old has taken her as his second wife as the first couldn’t produce children. He is moneyed and she consented to the marriage. I’m sure that fellow can’t produce children through her. He is far too old but she has said openly that she could cure his condition. I don’t believe it.”

I was sleepy by then and our talk ended.

Three months later Doc announced that due to her efforts using the Jupon lily she had discovered a drug Juponium which if taken regularly would increase vitality and fertility in men. She cited the cases of three individuals who swore that Doc’s treatment had produced results. However she announced that the Jupon lily was very scarce and the medicine derived from it would be expensive. There was an immediate demand for Juponium but the production couldn’t meet the demand. Doc came to me and said “Why don’t you grow Jupon?”

I said “It requires a different type of soil which isn’t available here. However I’ll try methods of propagating the jupon.” I set to work by investing on the project.

One day my wife said to me “I heard that Doc is pregnant. It seems Juponium has acted on the husband. There is said to be a big demand for the drug.”

I said “Doc had asked me to cultivate Jupon and I’m doing my best to do it. It’s difficult to grow.”

 “They say that she’ll become very prosperous due to Juponium. She won’t reveal the composition of the drug and doesn’t allow anyone into the processing area. It seems she only says that there’re many stages in production starting from the lily. She it seems said the effect would be slow in men who’re aged.”

“With great difficulty I’ve succeeded in producing one plant. I’ve to invest more to succeed in propagating the plant. I’m sure my ability will be rewarded and I‘ll make more money in a few months.”

There were also sceptics. I was told they interviewed Doc’s husband and said he looked the same  frail old man. When asked about the effects of Juponium on him it seems he said “It’s nice to taste and she gave me the medicine thrice a day. I feel stronger and eat more.” They didn’t ask about the efficacy of the medicine in getting men to produce children as it was delicate but it was generally understood as effective since Doc was in the family way.

Suddenly it was said that Doc was missing. Nobody knew where she had gone. There was a rumour that a certain brigand had kidnapped her to get to know how to produce Juponium. I also believed it as there was the possibility of making money by its sale. I hoped for her early release as she was a good customer. I heard that the public was also hoping for her return quickly so that she could supply Juponium which was in demand.

Doc didn’t return at all. Then started rumours about her. It was said that the old man’s first wife’s brother was also missing. Then came news that Doc had gone away with him to somewhere unknown. The conclusion was that he was responsible for Doc’s pregnancy. People now felt that Juponium was a fraud. She had collected advances from a number of people wanting the drug and had vanished. The 3 people said that she had paid them money to say that Juponium had fulfilled their need! I felt sad that I had invested in soil, manure, etc to grow the Jupon lily on a large scale.’ That is my story. Certain medicine men still practice skills acquired in the past which are as prescribed by their ancient systems of medicine. No doubt technology has overtaken old practices, but the art of hoodwinking the gullible endures!

END