You Talk with Stella and Eric

"Mystery solved," Eric says triumphantly. "Didn't you see? There's something nasty in that facial cream."

"No way," Stella says. "I use the same stuff. I think something Jessica brought home from the chemical plant made her sick."

"Hold on, "you say. "This disease struck two other people this evening -- a teenage boy and a nine-month-old girl. I doubt either of them use facial cream, or work at the chemical plant."

YOU LIST THE SUSPECTS

"What I've found in common so far," you continue, "are mushrooms, housepets, exterminators, and bottled milk. And houseplants."

"Well, it's not pets," Stella says flatly. "Pets aren't allowed in this building."

Eric says, "Haven't had any exterminators, or anything like that. But I noticed Jessy had mushrooms on her grocery list."

"Those were for me," Stella says. She looks worried. "Jessica hates mushrooms. Do you think they're poisonous? I haven't opened the package yet."

"What about the milk?" you ask.

"Can't be the milk," Stella says flatly. "We drink the same brand, the natural kind in the bottle. I had a glass about an hour ago. And look! I'm fine."

"What about all those houseplants?" you ask.

"Orchids," Eric says. "She's an addict."

"Aren't they, like, psychedelic?" Stella wants to know.

"She hasn't gotten any new orchids lately," Eric states. "She always shows them off to me."

Call Dr. Lydell with the solution

An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc.