That Dr. Heidegger does not himself partake of the drink he offers his friends is one of the indicators that he separates himself from others, remaining aloof, a cool observer of experience rather than full participant in it. In this he reminds one of Hawthorne's other famous Doctor, Roger Chillingworth, of The Scarlet Letter who carefully scrutinizes the agony Arthur Dimmesdale's experiences as a result of Chillingworth's manipulations.

"You shall judge for yourself, my dear colonel," replied Dr. Heidegger; "and all of you, my respected friends, are welcome to so much of this admirable fluid as may restore to you the bloom of youth. For my own part, having had much trouble in growing old, I am in no hurry to grow young again. With your permission, therefore, I will merely watch the progress of the experiment."