More Pallique

Hi all,

Ok, let's try some back of the envelope calculations here.  (Now
that I'm home and have my books :-)  All right.  Now, think about
an operation to transplant healthy tissue into replace cancerous
tissue.  Major surgery?  In my opinion, yes.  Major surgery in
Traveller costs 1000 Cr X 1D.  So an average of 3000 Cr (MT
Player's Manual).

Let's do something weird and say that on Pallique the surgery is so
common that it cost as much as a minor operation, Ok?  So:  500 Cr
X 1D.  About 1500 Cr average.  Wow!  No price gouging the
prisoners!

Now, if 20 operations are about right for an 'old timer' lets guess
these old-timers are about 60  (I doubt they'd live that long under
the conditions stated, but let's go for it.)  So:  1 operation
every 3 years.  3 Billion population:  1 billion operations per
year.  So *PART* of Pallique's medical budget is 1.5 Trillion
credits per year.  Let's say an additional 200 Cr per person goes
to cancer preventative treatment (It'll save money to prevent
rather than operate).

Total:  2.1 Trillion Credits.  Now that's quite a medical budget.

With that much money floating around, I'd bet some shrewd megacorp
business types with hand computers and pocket protectors are gonna
want in on this business.  How do they get in?  Well, import in the
high tech medical stuff and sell it off.  The higher the technology
it is, the more efficient it is, therefore the greater profit for
the twerps with the pocket protectors.

Suppose you got a cancer cure serum that was less than 1500 cr per
dose.  Say 10 cc's per dose.  Well, if you need 1 billion doses per
year, that works out to 741 shipping tons per year.  Easily handled
by a free trader.  And if the trader made 1 cr profit per dose,
he'd be ROLLING in dough by the end of a year.  :-)

Ok.  Now, let's take a look at it from the Imperial Government
point of view.  3 Billion inhabitants.  And I believe you mentioned
none of them paid taxes?  (According to Trillion Credit Squadron)
In terms of Naval budgets that's 4.5 TRILLION credits that is NOT
going into the Naval coffers.  Is the Navy gonna stand for that?
Is Duke Norris gonna stand for that?  He's the one who's supposed
to be the kind hearted soul.  Is he gonna sit around while those
people are:
1)   Being mistreated
2)   Not paying taxes!!!  :-)
- --
Scott 2G Kellogg
"You'rethemostdangerousmanIevermetandyou'rewacky!" -- Speed Racer