The Production Guide
Writer's Guide

7 HEALTH

Dr. Helena Russell, head of the medical section, is not a general practitioner and it is no part of her function to bandage sprained ankles or treat minor wounds. All that routine maintenance will be carried out by the minions of the medical section and we don't particularly want to see it. Helena Russell and the medical laboratory are there because the Alpha Mission has Mankind out on a limb of environmental uncertainty where the frontiers of Physical And psychological normality are frequently crossed.

Helena Russell is on Alpha to observe and analyse unknown mental and physical conditions brought about by the strange environment. After episode one, of course, the situation will be even more acute and on Helena Russell's ability to respond to, and cope with, the strains inflicted by a random and involuntary space journey will depend the survival of the Alpha humans.

As far as the permanent inhabitants of Alpha are concerned, their medical condition will be perpetually monitored as follows:

In the sleeve of everyone's uniform is built a concave lens which gives to the wearer a constant monitoring of his or her physical condition. The data is gathered by printed circuits and electrodes built into the uniform itself, and transmitted constantly, via the IDX, to the central computer.

The "concave lens" becomes the wrist-watch monitors worn throughout year 1 and featured in Guardian Of Piri, Force Of Life & The Full Circle (a different health wrist watch is seen in Journey To Where).