Keelright (/ˈkiːl.raɪt/)

The serendipitous use of powdered keetwood has brought an end to the fear of neonatal collapse. While the industrial applications of keetwood have been known since before the Volcanic Era began, its effect on the human body was not a subject of study until nearly 1,000 years later, and its use as a medical treatment was not realized until by happy accident a small amount of it was at the site of a neonatal emergency. Based on the minor numbing effects of ingested keetwood dust on lumber miners, the medical staff acted on the hunch that the same effect might be of some help to the baby. In fact the results were even better than they had hoped. The baby's pulse and breathing immediately returned to acceptable rates, and the shaking stopped shortly thereafter. The lead physician's startled reaction--"She's been put right back on her keel!"--gave the treatment the name of keelright.

The effectiveness of keelright on neonatal collapse opens up the potential of its application to other medical conditions, especially those in which patients experience chronic pain with no obvious cause. The original, improvisational dosage has been refined to one that maintains a generally consistent amount of keelright in the patient's system over a full day, making a standardized treatment possible. However, uncertain health risks remain an obstacle to its widespread use. While the ongoing study of lumber miners suggests very few long-term side effects to the low-level environmental presence of keetwood, refinery workers exposed to much higher concentrations show increased occurrence of Gorder's Arrest. It is unclear whether this intermediate concentration poses a similar risk.

Manufacturing

Keelright is made from powdered keetwood, a byproduct of the lumber mining industry on Aktergea.

Access & Availability

Efforts are underway to ensure that keelright will be included in all future medical kits. Although neonatal collapse is extremely rare, occurring one or two times a century, the simplicity of its treatment and need for quick response make it important to have keelright easily accessible.

Related Materials

• Keetrock