ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第38章

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very　time　you　e　in　here。〃
　〃I'm　glad　it's　the　last　time。〃　The　youth　was　unperturbed。　〃Tell　you　the　truth；　all　that　plainin'　o'　yours　was　get'n　on　my　nerves　a　bit。〃　He　went　on　whistling　and　held　up　the　tray　of　blood　samples　he　had　collected　from　the　outpatients'　lab。　〃Where　you　want　this　blood；　Mr。　Dracula？〃
　John　Alexander　grinned。　Bannister；　however；　was　not　amused。　〃You　know　where　it　goes；　wise　guy。〃　He　indicated　a　space　on　one　of　the　lab　benches。　〃Put　it　over　there。〃
　〃Yessir；　captain；　sir。〃　Elaborately　the　youth　put　down　the　tray　and　gave　a　mock　salute。　Then　he　essayed　a　pelvic　gyration　and　moved　toward　the　door　singing：
　
　〃Oh；　give　me　a　home　where　the　viruses　roam；
　Where　the　bugs　and　the　microbes　all　play；
　When　often　is　heard　an　old　bloodsucker's　word；
　And　the　test　tubes　stand　stinkin'　all　day。〃
　
　The　door　swung　closed　and　his　voice　faded　down　the　corridor。
　Alexander　laughed。　Bannister　said；　〃Don't　laugh　at　him。　It　just　makes　him　worse。〃　He　crossed　to　the　bench　and　picked　up　the　blood　specimens；　glancing　casually　at　the　work　sheet　with　them。　Halfway　across　the　lab　he　stopped。
　〃Hey；　there's　a　blood　sample　here　from　a　Mrs。　Alexander。　Is　that　your　wife？〃
　Alexander　put　down　the　pipette　he　had　been　using　and　moved　across。　〃It　probably　is。　Dr。　Dornberger　sent　her　in　for　a　sensitivity　test。〃　He　took　the　work　sheet　and　looked　down　it。　〃Yes；　it's　Elizabeth　all　right。〃
　〃It　says　typing　and　sensitivity　both；〃　Bannister　said。
　〃I　expect　Dr。　Dornberger　wanted　to　be　sure。　Actually　Elizabeth　is　Rh　negative。〃　As　an　afterthought　he　added；　〃I'm　Rh　positive。〃
　Expansively；　and　with　a　fatherly　air　of　great　knowledge；　Bannister　said；　〃Oh　well；　most　of　the　time　that　doesn't　cause　any　trouble。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　All　the　same；　you　like　to　be　sure。〃
　〃Well；　here's　the　specimen。〃　Bannister　picked　out　the　test　tube　labeled　〃Alexander；　Mrs。　E。〃　and　held　it　up。　〃Do　you　want　to　do　the　test　yourself？〃
　〃Yes；　I　would。　If　you　don't　mind。〃
　Bannister　never　objected　to　someone　else　doing　work　which　might　otherwise　fall　to　himself。　He　said；　〃It's　all　right　with　me。〃　Then；　glancing　at　the　clock；　he　added；　〃You　can't　do　it　tonight　though。　It's　quitting　time。〃　He　replaced　the　test　tube　and　handed　the　tray　to　Alexander。　〃Better　put　this　lot　away　until　the　morning。〃
　Alexander　took　the　blood　samples　and　put　them　in　the　lab　refrigerator。　Then；　closing　the　refrigerator　door；　he　paused　thoughtfully。
　〃Carl；　there's　something　I've　been　meaning　to　ask　you。〃
　Bannister　was　busily　clearing　up。　He　always　liked　to　leave　right　on　the　dot　of　five。　Without　turning　his　head　he　asked；　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃The　blood…sensitization　tests　we're　doing　here…I've　been　wondering　about　them。〃
　〃Wondering　what？〃
　Alexander　chose　his　words　carefully。　Right　from　the　beginning；　because　of　his　own　college　training；　he　had　realized　the　possibility　of　arousing　resentment　in　people　like　Bannister。　He　tried　now；　as　he　had　before；　to　avoid　giving　offense。　〃I　noticed　we're　only　doing　two　sensitization　tests…one　in　saline；　the　other　in　high　protein。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Well；〃　Alexander　said　diffidently；　〃isn't　just　doing　the　two　tests　alone　。　。　。　a　bit　out　of　date？〃
　Bannister　had　finished　clearing　up。　He　came　around　the　center　table；　wiping　his　hands　on　a　paper　towel。　He　said　sharply；　〃Suppose　you　tell　me　why。〃
　Alexander　ignored　the　sharpness。　This　was　important。　He　said；　〃Most　labs　nowadays　are　doing　a　third　test…an　indirect　Coombs…after　the　test　in　saline。〃
　〃A　'what'　test？〃
　〃An　indirect　Coombs。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Are　you　kidding？〃　The　moment　the　words　were　out　Alexander　knew　he　had　made　a　tactical　mistake。　But　he　had　spoken　impulsively；　reasoning　that　no　serology　technician　could　fail　to　know　of　an　indirect　Coombs　test。
　The　senior　technician　bridled。　〃You　don't　have　to　get　smart。〃
　Hastily　trying　to　repair　the　damage；　Alexander　replied；　〃I'm　sorry；　Carl。　I　didn't　mean　it　to　sound　like　that。〃
　Bannister　crumpled　the　paper　towel　and　threw　it　into　a　waste　bin。　〃Well；　that's　the　way　it　did　sound。〃　He　leaned　forward　aggressively；　his　bald　head　reflecting　a　light　bulb　above。　〃Look；　fella；　I'll　tell　you　something　for　your　own　good。　You're　fresh　out　of　school；　and　one　thing　you　haven't　found　out　is　that　some　things　they　teach　you　there　just　don't　work　out　in　practice。〃
　〃This　isn't　just　theory；　Carl。〃　Alexander　was　in　earnest　now；　his　blunder　of　a　moment　ago　seeming　unimportant。　〃It's　been　proven　that　some　antibodies　in　the　blood　of　pregnant　women　can't　be　detected　either　in　a　saline　solution　or　high　protein。〃
　〃And　how　often　does　it　happen？〃　Bannister　put　the　question　smugly；　as　if　knowing　the　answer　in　advance。
　〃Very　seldom。〃
　〃Well；　there　you　are。〃
　〃But　it's　enough　to　make　the　third　test　important。〃　John　Alexander　was　insistent；　trying　to　penetrate　Bannister's　unwillingness　to　know。　〃Actually　it's　very　simple。　After　you've　finished　the　saline　test　you　take　the　same　test　tube〃
　Bannister　cut　him　off。　〃Save　the　lecture　for　some　other　time。〃　Slipping　off　his　lab　coat；　he　reached　for　the　jacket　of　his　suit　behind　the　door。
　Knowing　it　to　be　a　losing　argument；　Alexander　still　went　on。　〃It　isn't　much　more　work。　I'd　be　glad　to　do　it　myself。　All　that's　needed　is　Coombs　serum。　It's　true　it　makes　the　testing　a　little　more　expensive　。　。　。〃
　This　was　familiar　ground。　Now　Bannister　could　understand　better　what　the　two　of　them　were　talking　about。　〃Oh；　yeah！〃　he　said　sarcastically。　〃That　would　go　great　with　Pearson。　Anything　that's　more　expensive　is　sure　to　be　a　big　hit。〃
　〃But　don't　you　understand？…the　other　way　isn't　foolproof。〃　Alexander　spoke　tensely；　without　realizing　it　he　had　raised　his　voice。　〃With　the　two　tests　we're　doing　here　you　can　get　a　negative　test　result；　and　yet　a　mother's　blood　may　still　be　sensitized　and　dangerous　to　the　baby。　You　could　kill　a　newborn　child　that　way。〃
　〃Well；　it　isn't　your　job　to　worry　about　it。〃　This　was　Bannister　at　his　crudest；　the　words　almost　snarled。
　〃But〃
　〃But　nothing！　Pearson　isn't　keen　on　new　ways　of　doing　things…especially　when　they　cost　more　money。〃　Bannister　hesitated；　and　his　manner　became　less　aggressive。　He　was　aware　that　it　was　one　minute　to　five　and　he　was　anxious　to　wind　this　up　and　get　away。　〃Look；　kid；　I'll　give　you　some　advice。　We're　not　doctors；　and　you'd　be　smart　to　quit　trying　to　sound　like　one。　We're　lab　assistants　and　we　work　in　here　the　way　we're　told。〃
　〃That　doesn't　mean　to　say　I　can't　think；　does　it？〃　It　was　Alexander's　turn　to　be　aroused。　〃All　I　know　is；　I'd　like　to　see　my　wife's　test　done　in　saline；　and　in　protein；　and　in　Coombs　serum。　You　may　not　be　interested；　but　this　baby　happens　to　be　important　to　us。〃
　At　the　door　the　older　man　surveyed　Alexander。　He　could　see　clearly　now　what　he　had　not　realized　before…this　kid　was　a　troublemaker。　What　was　more；　troublemakers　had　a　habit　of　involving　other　people　in　unfortable　situations。　Maybe　this　smart…aleck　college　graduate　should　be　allowed　to　hang　himself　right　now。　Bannister　said；　〃I've　told　you　what　I　think。　If　you　don't　like　it　you'd　better　go　see　Pearson。　Tell　him　you're　not　satisfied　with　the　way　things　are　being　run　around　here。〃
　Alexander　looked　directly　at　the　senior　technician。　Then　he　said　quietly；　〃Maybe　I　will。〃
　Bannister's　lip　curled。　〃Suit　yourself。　But　remember…I　warned　you。〃
　With　a　final　glance　at　the　clock　he　went　out；　leaving　John　Alexander　in　the　laboratory　alone。
　
　Twelve
　
　Outside　the　main　entrance　to　Three　Counties　Hospital　Dr。　David　Coleman　paused　to　look　around　him。　It　was　a　few　minutes　after　eight　on　a　warm；　mid…August　morning；　with　promise　already　of　a　hot　and　sultry　day　ahead。　At　this　moment　there　was　little　activity　outside　the　hospital。　Beside　himself；　the　only　other　people　in　sight　were　a　janitor；　hosing　some　of　yesterday's　dust　from　a　section　of　the　forecourt；　and　a　middle…aged　nurse　who　had　just　alighted　from　a　bus　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street。　The　main　stream　of　hospital　business；　he　supposed；　would　not　begin　to　flow　for　another　hour　or　so。
　David　Coleman　surveyed　the　block　of　buildings　which　prised　Three　Counties。　Certainly；　he　decided；　the　hospital's　builders　could　never　be　accused　of　having　wasted　money　on　aesthetic　frills。　The　architecture　was　st