Professor Smith published a paper arguing that a chemical found in minute quantities in most drinking water had an adverse effect on the human nervous system  Existing scientific theory held that no such effect was possible because there was no neural mechanism for bringing it about  Several papers by well-known scientists in the field followed, unanimously purporting to prove Professor Smith wrong
This clearly shows that the scientific establishment was threatened by Professor Smith' s work and conspired to discredit it
The author fails to show why the other scientists could not have been presenting evidence in order to establish the truth of the matter.