 What is the best representation of the significance of the boy who falls sick at the end?
BRAMBLE BUSH BY ALAN E. NOURSE [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, August 1957. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] There was a man in our town, and he was wondrous wise; He jumped into a bramble bush and scratched out both his eyes. MOTHER GOOSE Dr. David Lessing found Jack Dorffman and the boy waiting in his office when he arrived at the Hoffman Center that morning. There were dark pouches under his eyes; his heavy unshaven face seemed to sag at every crease. "He's gone completely hay-wire. Nobody's been able to get near him for three weeks, and now at six o'clock this morning he decides he's leaving the Farm. I talk to him, I sweat him down, I do everything but tie him to the bed, and I waste my time. "So you bring him down here," said Lessing sourly. He was thin, with a pale freckled face and the guileless expression of any normal eight-year-old as he blinked across the desk at Lessing. He sat with a mute appeal in his large grey eyes as Lessing flipped the reader-switch and blinked in alarm at the wildly thrashing pattern on the tape. "No. Oh, no!" And it stops things from going in. "But I don't want to go back there—" The fear-pattern was alive again on the tape. Lessing nodded at Dorffman and stepped into an adjoining room with him. And I'm afraid you'll have to set it up. "Full psi precautions?" asked Dorffman. If Tommy's in the trouble I think he's in, we don't dare risk a chance of Adult Contact now. Two letters were waiting on Lessing's desk that morning. The first was from Roberts Bros., announcing another shift of deadline on the book, and demanding the galley proofs two weeks earlier than scheduled. As director of psionic research at the Hoffman Medical Center, he had long since learned how administrative detail could suck up daytime hours. And now, as the book approached publication date, Lessing wondered if he would ever really get back to work again. It bore the letterhead of the International Psionics Conference: Dear Dr. Lessing: In recognition of your position as an authority on human Psionic behavior patterns, we would be gratified to schedule you as principle speaker at the Conference in Chicago on October 12th. "A Theory of Psionic Influence on Infant and Child Development."
 It shows that Dr. Melrose could have been right, because this is not consistent with Dr. Lessing's prior conclusions
 It shows that Dr. Melrose could have been right, because this is not consistent with Dr. Lessing's prior conclusions  The incident is proof that Dr. Lessing should give up on his work  It means Dr. Lessing's book needs another round of edits which will take a lot of time  It shows Dr. Melrose where the weak points in Dr. Lessing's work is