Title: Death of a Professor

Author: Michael Hervey

Date of First Publication: written 1946; first published 1994

Place of Publication: The Frankenstein Omnibus (collection)

Type: Short Story

Characters: No Character

Themes: MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER

Critical Summary: In this short story, a professor named Crosse creates small insect-like creatures out of inorganic matter. He cannot however, keep them alive. Later, another professor tried to recreate the monstrosities but was found dead in his laboratory. Another investigator becomes interested in the research and comes to create the same insects, but in his search he discovers that these small creatures only thrive on the consumption of calcium. They become ravenous for it. Some even escape and eat a cat in the house, leaving only the skin and fur. They eat it from the inside out.

The Mad Scientist theme repeats as each scientist in the story quickly makes dangerous monsters they do not understand.

Administrative Notes: Giselle Castro; Amanda Howard, CSUF (editing)