“Those impulses can be transmitted through a special coaxial cable. They can be amplified, with special electron tubes. And, finally, through a phenomenon that Pat calls neuro-resonance, they can set up new bipolar moments and intra-molecular potentials, in another brain.

“The ideophore, that is, can pick up knowledge from one brain, and transfer it almost instantly to another. There is a delicate system of tuning, which, with the cooperation of the teacher, makes it possible to select the subject to be taught.”

...Reluctantly, Cartwright climbed into the massive chair. There were padded straps for his wrists and ankles. “For your own protection,” Pat said sweetly. “There is an involuntary spastic muscular reaction.”

The alarming helmet was lowered over his head. Captain Drumm stood behind the chair, with his head between two polished metal plates. Pat took her place at the intricate controls on the wheeled cabinet. Motor-converters hummed, and then a keen ominous whine stabbed into Cartwright’s brain.

“Ready,” said Pat. “Five seconds of mathematics, and the theory and practise of astrogation. Now!”

(Ideophore from 'The Fortress of Utopia' by Jack Williamson)

Cartwright heard the switch click — and then his world was shattered under an avalanche of agony. A million searing needles probed into his brain. Intolerable flame blinded him. Thunder bellowed in his ears.

He tried to count the eternal seconds. One. And two. But he felt as if the torture had already lasted minutes, hours. His awareness was flung away on a hurricane of flame. He was blanked out.

Then it was over. Galt helped lift the helmet, free his bruised, aching wrists and ankles. Sweat drenched him. He relaxed in the big chair, panting...