ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第23章

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　hand　for　the　chart。　〃Thank　you。〃　He　added；　〃I'll　only　be　a　moment　with　this；　if　you'd　like　to　wait。〃
　〃All　right；　Doctor。〃　Vivian　decided　a　few　more　minutes'　respite　from　the　rush　of　ward　work　would　be　wele。　She　settled　back　in　the　chair。　It　was　cool　in　here　with　the　air　conditioning。　There　was　no　such　luxury　in　the　nurses'　home。
　Vivian　watched　Dr。　Dornberger　as　he　studied　the　chart。　He　was　probably　about　the　same　age　as　Dr。　Pearson；　she　thought；　but　certainly　a　lot　different　to　look　at。　While　the　pathologist　was　round…faced　and　heavy…jowled；　Dr。　Dornberger　was　lean　and　angular。　In　other　ways；　too；　his　appearance　was　a　contrast；　with　the　thatch　of　white　hair　carefully　bed　and　parted。　She　noticed　his　hands　were　manicured；　his　white　hospital　jacket　pressed　and　spotless。
　Dornberger　handed　back　the　chart。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　good　of　you　to　bring　it。〃　He　has　a　sparkle　to　him；　Vivian　thought。　She　had　heard　he　was　much　beloved　by　his　women　patients。　There　was　little　need　to　wonder　why。
　〃We'll　be　seeing　each　other；　I　expect。〃　Dornberger　had　risen　and　opened　the　door　courteously。　〃Good　luck　in　your　studies。〃
　〃Good…by；　Doctor。〃　She　went　out；　leaving　a　trace　of　fragrance　behind　her；　Dornberger　thought。　Not　for　the　first　time　the　contact　with　someone　youthful　left　him　wondering　about　himself。　He　returned　to　the　swivel　chair　and　leaned　back　meditatively。　Almost　absently　he　took　out　his　pipe　and　began　to　fill　it。
　He　had　been　in　medicine　now　for　almost　thirty…two　years；　in　a　week　or　two　he　would　being　his　thirty…third。　They　had　been　full　years　and　rewarding　ones。　Financially　he　had　no　problems。　His　own　four　children　were　married；　and　he　and　his　wife　could　live　fortably　on　the　careful　investments　he　had　made。　But　would　he　be　content　to　retire　and　rusticate？　That　was　the　rub。
　In　all　his　years　in　medicine　Charles　Dornberger　had　prided　himself　in　keeping　up　to　date。　He　had　made　up　his　mind　long　ago　that　no　young　newer　was　going　to　surpass　him；　either　in　technique　or　knowledge。　As　a　result　he　had　read　avidly　and　still　continued　to　do　so。　He　subscribed　to　many　of　the　medical　journals　which　he　read　thoroughly　and　occasionally　contributed　articles　himself。　He　was　a　regular　attender　at　medical　conventions　and　conscientiously　took　in　most　of　the　business　sessions。　Early　in　his　career；　long　before　the　present　boundary　lines　were　drawn　in　medicine；　he　had　foreseen　the　need　for　specialization。　His　own　choice　had　been　obstetrics　and　gynecology。　It　was　a　choice　he　had　never　regretted；　and　he　often　felt　it　had　helped　him　to　keep　young　in　mind。
　Because　of　this　by　the　mid…thirties；　when　American　specialty　boards　were　ing　into　being；　Dornberger　was　already　established　in　his　own　field。　As　a　result；　under　the　so…called　〃grandfather〃　clause；　he　had　been　given　Board　certification　without　examination。　It　was　something　he　had　always　been　proud　of。　If　anything；　it　had　made　him　keener　still　to　remain　up　to　date。
　And　yet　he　had　never　resented　younger　men。　When　he　had　felt　them　to　be　good　and　conscientious；　he　had　gone　out　of　his　way　to　offer　help　and　advice。　He　admired　and　respected　O'Donnell。　He　considered　the　youthful　chief　of　surgery　one　of　the　best　things　that　had　ever　happened　to　Three　Counties。　His　own　morale　had　risen　with　O'Donnell's　changes　and　progress　in　the　hospital。
　He　had　made　many　friends；　some　among　his　own　immediate　colleagues；　others　in　unlikely　places。　Joe　Pearson　might　be　called　one　of　the　unlikely　ones。　Professionally　the　two　men　looked　at　a　lot　of　things　in　different　ways。　Dornberger　knew；　for　example；　that　Joe　did　not　read　much　these　days。　He　suspected　that　in　a　few　areas　of　knowledge　the　elderly　pathologist　had　slipped　behind　the　times；　and；　administratively；　there　was　the　problem　which　yesterday's　meeting　had　revealed。　And　yet；　over　the　years；　the　bond　between　the　two　men　had　grown　strong。　To　his　own　surprise　sometimes　he　had　found　himself　siding　with　Pearson　at　medical　conferences　and　defending　him　occasionally　when　Pathology　was　criticized　in　private。
　Dornberger's　interjection　ten　days　ago　at　the　mortality　conference　had　been　much　like　that。　He　supposed　other　people　recognized　the　alliance　between　himself　and　Joe。　What　was　it　Gil　Bartlett　had　said？　〃You're　a　friend　of　his；　and　besides　he　doesn't　have　a　vendetta　with　obstetricians。〃　Until　this　moment　he　had　forgotten　the　remark；　but　he　realized　now　it　had　had　an　edge　of　bitterness　and　he　was　sorry　about　that。　Bartlett　was　a　good　physician；　and　Dornberger　made　a　mental　note　to　be　especially　cordial　next　time　they　met。
　But　there　was　still　his　own　problem。　To　quit　or　not　to　quit？　And　if　he　did　quit；　when？　Just　lately；　despite　his　carefully　guarded　physical　fitness；　he　had　found　himself　tiring。　And　although　he　had　spent　a　lifetime　answering　night　calls；　lately　they　had　seemed　harder　to　take。　Yesterday　at　lunch　he　had　heard　Kersh；　the　dermatologist；　telling　a　new　intern；　〃You　should　join　us　in　the　skin　game；　son。　Haven't　been　called　out　at　night　in　fifteen　years。〃　Dornberger　had　laughed　with　the　rest　but　harbored　a　little　secret　envy。
　One　thing　he　was　sure　of　though。　He　would　not　hang　on　if　he　found　himself　weakening。　Right　now　he　knew　he　was　as　good　as　ever。　His　mind　was　clear；　his　hands　steady　and　eyes　sharp。　He　always　watched　himself　carefully　because　he　knew　that　at　the　first　sign　of　failing　he　would　not　hesitate。　He　would　clear　his　desk　and　go。　He　had　seen　too　many　others　try　to　stay　the　course　too　long。　That　would　never　be　for　him。
　But　as　for　the　present；　well；　maybe　he　would　let　things　go　another　three　months；　then　think　it　over。
　By　this　time　he　had　packed　the　tobacco　tightly　in　his　pipe　and　now　he　reached　for　a　folder　of　matches。　He　was　about　to　strike　one　when　the　telephone　rang。　Putting　down　pipe　and　matches；　he　answered　it。　〃Dr。　Dornberger　speaking。〃
　It　was　one　of　his　patients。　She　had　begun　labor　pains　an　hour　ago。　Now　her　membranes　had　ruptured　and　she　had　discharged　water。　She　was　a　young　girl　in　her　early　twenties；　and　it　would　be　her　first　baby。　She　sounded　breathless；　as　if　nervous　but　trying　not　to　be。
　As　he　had　so　many　times　before；　Dornberger　gave　his　instructions　quietly。　〃Is　your　husband　at　home？〃
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃
　〃Then　get　your　things　together　and　have　him　drive　you　to　the　hospital。　I'll　see　you　after　you've　arrived。〃
　〃Very　well；　Doctor。〃
　〃Tell　your　husband　to　drive　carefully　and　stop　at　all　the　red　lights。　We've　plenty　of　time。　You'll　see。〃
　He　could　sense；　even　over　the　phone；　that　he　had　helped　her　to　relax。　It　was　something　he　did　often；　and　he　considered　it　as　much　a　part　of　his　job　as　any　course　of　treatment。　Nevertheless　he　felt　his　own　senses　quickening。　A　new　case　always　had　that　effect。　Logically；　he　thought；　he　should　have　lost　the　feeling　long　ago。　As　you　grew　older　in　medicine　you　were　supposed　to　bee　impervious；　mechanical　and　unsentimental。　It　had　never　worked　that　way　for　him；　though…perhaps　because；　even　now；　he　was　doing　what　he　loved　to　do　most。
　He　reached　for　his　pipe；　then　changed　his　mind　and　picked　up　the　telephone　again。　He　must　let　Obstetrics　know　that　his　patient　was　ing　in。
　
　Eight
　
　〃I'm　not　even　sure　that　defeating　polio　was　a　good　or　necessary　thing。〃
　The　speaker　was　Eustace　Swayne…founder　of　a　department…store　empire；　millionaire　philanthropist；　and　member　of　the　board　of　directors　of　Three　Counties　Hospital。　The　background　was　the　shadowed；　oak…paneled　library　of　Swayne's　aging　but　imposing　mansion；　set　alone　in　fifty　acres　of　parkland　and　near　the　eastern　fringes　of　Burlington。
　〃e　now；　you　can't　be　serious；〃　Orden　Brown　said　lightly。　The　hospital…board　chairman　smiled　at　the　two　women　in　the　room…his　own　wife；　Amelia；　and　Swayne's　daughter；　Denise　Quantz。
　Kent　O'Donnell　sipped　the　cognac　which　a　soft…footed　manservant　had　brought　him　and　leaned　back　in　the　deep　leather　chair　he　had　chosen　on　entering　this　room　with　the　others　after　dinner。　It　occurred　to　him　that　the　scene　they　made　was　almost　medieval。　He　glanced　around　the　softly　lighted　room；　his　eyes　ranging　over　tiers　of　leather…bound　books　rising　to　the　high…timbered　ceiling；　the　dark　and　heavy　oaken　furniture；　the　cavernous　fireplace　laid　with　great　logs…not　burning　now；　this　warm　July　evening；　but　r