GR translation: stood on stepladders up against its loathsome grayish flank

[Mike Jing]

V16.22-25,P16.39-17.1   As the two of them snuffled back and forth,
alienists in black seven-button suits, admirers of Dr. Freud the Adenoid
clearly had no use for, stood on stepladders up against its loathsome
grayish flank shoveling the new wonderdrug cocaine— . . .

Here the phrase "up against its loathsome grayish flank" is used to
describe "stepladders", is that correct?