external process

I'm having trouble with running an external program.  It seems to work the
first few times I do it, then it gets stuck and I have to restart httpd
with kill -9.  I've tried things a few different ways.  Here is what I'm
currently doing:

my  $pm = new Parallel::ForkManager(6);


for my $thing_to_do(@things) {
    # Forks and returns the pid for the child:
    my $pid = $pm->start and next;
    my $command=q{/public_html/perl/detach.pl};
     $command . ' ' . $thing_to_do;

    `$command`;
     ### I've also tried: $r->spawn_proc_prog ($fc); ###

     $pm->finish; # Terminates the child process
}
$pm->wait_all_children;


I'm sure this is "simple".  Where have I gone wrong?


-- 
*Ryan Perry*
Technology Director
RestoreHealth
1289 Deming Way
Madison, WI 53717
608.833.7046 ext 700
[email protected]