ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第76章

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　much　to　be　concerned　about。　And　apart　from　the　minor　fault　of　O'Donnell's　being…in　Chandler's　opinion…a　little　too　democratic　at　times；　he　was　a　good　man　to　have　at　the　head　of　the　board　and　certainly　a　big　improvement　over　his　predecessor。　Therefore；　amiably　enough；　he　answered；　〃I　lost　count　some　time　ago。　I　suppose　we're　getting　through　them。　But　there's　nothing　to　show　so　far。〃
　〃What's　the　news　of　the　typhoid　patients？〃　O'Donnell　asked。　〃And　the　four　suspected　cases？〃
　〃You　can　make　it　four　definite　now；〃　Chandler　said；　〃and　scratch　two　of　the　suspects。〃
　〃Anyone　in　danger？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Thank　God　for　antibiotics！　Fifteen　years　ago　we'd　have　been　in　a　lot　more　trouble　than　we　are。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　so。〃　O'Donnell　knew　better　than　to　inquire　about　isolation　procedure。　For　all　his　pompousness　Chandler　could　always　be　relied　on　to　do　the　correct　thing　medically。
　〃Two　of　the　patients　are　nurses；〃　Chandler　said。　〃One's　from　Psychiatry；　the　other　from　Urology。　The　other　two　are　men…a　generator…room　worker　and　a　clerk　from　the　records　office。〃
　〃All　from　widely　separated　parts　of　the　hospital；〃　O'Donnell　said　thoughtfully。
　〃Exactly！　There's　no　mon　denominator　except　hospital　food。　All　four　took　their　meals　in　the　hospital　cafeteria。　I　don't　think　there's　any　question　that　we're　on　the　right　track。〃
　〃Then　I　won't　hold　you　up；〃　O'Donnell　said。　〃You've　two　more　people　waiting　outside；　but　some　of　the　other　men　have　more；　and　we're　shifting　them　around。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Chandler　said。　〃I'll　just　keep　going　until　we're　clear；　nothing　must　stop　us…no　matter　how　long　it　takes。〃　He　sat　in　his　chair　a　little　straighter。　He　had　the　feeling　that　there　was　a　touch　of　derring…do　and　a　ring　of　Old　Glory　to　his　own　forthright　words。
　〃Right　you　are；〃　O'Donnell　said。　〃I'll　leave　you　to　it。〃
　A　little　piqued　by　the　casual　reaction；　the　chief　of　medicine　said　stiffly；　〃You　might　ask　the　nurse　to　send　in　the　next　one；　will　you？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　O'Donnell　went　out；　and　a　moment　later　a　girl　kitchen　worker　entered。　She　was　holding　a　card。
　Chandler　said；　〃I'll　take　that。　Sit　down；　please。〃　He　put　the　card　in　front　of　him　and　selected　a　blank　case…history　sheet。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　girl　said。
　〃Now；　first　I　want　your　medical　history…yourself　and　your　family…as　far　back　as　we　can　go。　Let's　start　with　your　parents。〃
　With　the　girl　responding　to　his　careful　questioning；　Chandler's　rapidly　written　notes　began　to　fill　the　sheet　in　front　of　him。　As　always；　when　he　was　finished　the　result　would　be　a　model　of　good　case…history　reporting；　suitable　for　inclusion　in　any　medical　textbook。　One　of　the　reasons　Dr。　Chandler　was　chief　of　medicine　at　Three　Counties　was　because　he　was　an　extremely　precise　and　conscientious　clinician。
　
　Walking　away　from　the　mandeered　outpatients'　department；　Kent　O'Donnell　permitted　himself　to　think；　for　the　first　time　with　any　degree　of　perspective；　of　some　of　the　day's　events　so　far。　It　was　now　midafternoon；　and　since　this　morning　so　much　had　happened　that　it　had　been　impossible　to　grasp　the　implications　of　it　all。
　In　swift　and　unexpected　succession　had　e；　first；　the　incident　of　the　mis…diagnosed　child　and；　shortly　afterward；　its　death。　Then　there　had　followed：　Pearson's　firing；　Charlie　Dornberger's　retirement；　the　discovery　that　an　elementary　hygiene　precaution　had　been　neglected　in　the　hospital　for　more　than　six　months；　and　now　the　occurrence　of　typhoid；　with　the　threat　of　an　even　graver　epidemic　hanging　over　Three　Counties　like　an　avenging　sword。
　So　much；　it　seemed；　had　broken　loose　at　once。　Why？　How　had　it　happened？　Was　it　a　sudden　symptom　of　a　malaise　that；　undetected　until　now；　had　gripped　the　hospital？　Was　there　more　to　e　perhaps？　Was　this　the　signal　of　a　general　disintegration　soon　to　follow？　Had　they　all　been　guilty　of　a　sense　of　placency…of　which　O'Donnell　himself　might　be　the　instigator？
　He　thought：　We　were　all　sure；　so　sure；　that　this　regime　was　better　than　the　last。　We　worked　to　make　it　so。　We　believed　we　were　creating　and　progressing；　building　a　temple　of　healing；　a　place　where　good　medicine　would　be　learned　and　practiced。　But　have　we　failed…ignominiously　and　blindly…through　the　very　goodness　of　our　own　intentions？　Have　we　been　stupid　and　unseeing…our　eyes　on　the　cloud　tops；　uplifted　by　the　glister　of　ideals；　yet　ignoring　the　plain　earthy　warning　of　everyday　events？　What　have　we　built　here？　O'Donnell　searched　his　mind。　Is　it；　in　truth；　a　place　of　healing？　Or　have　we　raised；　in　folly；　a　whited　sepulcher…an　empty；　antiseptic　shrine？
　Preoccupied；　his　thoughts　burning　and　intense；　O'Donnell　had　strode　through　the　hospital　instinctively；　unconscious　of　his　surroundings。　Now　he　came　to　his　office　and　went　inside。
　He　crossed　to　the　window　and　stood　looking　down　at　the　hospital　forecourt。　As　always；　there　was　a　movement　of　people；　ing　and　going。　He　saw　a　man　limping；　a　woman　holding　his　arm；　they　passed　beneath　and　out　of　sight。　A　car　drew　up；　a　man　jumped　out　and　helped　a　woman　into　it。　A　nurse　appeared；　handing　the　woman　a　baby。　The　doors　slammed；　the　car　moved　on。　A　boy　on　crutches　came　into　view；　he　moved　quickly；　swinging　his　body　with　the　ease　of　practice。　He　was　stopped　by　an　old　man　in　a　raincoat；　the　old　man　seemed　uncertain　where　to　go。　The　boy　pointed。　They　moved　together　toward　the　hospital　doors。
　O'Donnell　thought：　They　e　to　us　in　supplication；　holding　faith。　Are　we　worthy　of　it？　Do　our　successes　mitigate　our　failures？　Can　we；　in　time；　by　devotion　atone　for　error？　Shall　we　ever　know？
　More　practically；　he　reasoned：　After　today　there　must　be　many　changes。　They　must　plug　gaps…not　only　those　already　exposed；　but　others　they　would　uncover　by　diligent　searching。　They　must　probe　for　weaknesses…among　themselves　and　in　the　hospital　fabric。　There　must　be　greater　self…criticism；　more　self…examination。　Let　today；　he　thought；　stand　as　a　bright　and　shining　beacon…a　cross　of　sorrow；　a　signal　for　a　new　beginning。
　There　was　much　to　do；　a　great　deal　of　work　ahead。　They　would　begin　with　Pathology…the　weak　spot　where　tribulation　had　begun。　After　that　there　must　be　reorganization　elsewhere…there　were　several　departments　which　he　suspected　were　in　need　of　it。　It　was　definite　now　that　work　on　the　new　buildings　would　begin　in　the　spring；　and　the　two　programs　could　merge　together。　O'Donnell　began　to　plan；　his　brain　functioning　swiftly。
　The　telephone　rang　sharply。
　The　operator　announced；　〃Dr。　O'Donnell；　long　distance　is　calling。〃
　It　was　Denise。　Her　voice　had　the　same　soft　huskiness　that　had　attracted　him　before。　When　they　had　exchanged　greetings　she　said；　〃Kent　darling；　I　want　you　to　e　to　New　York　this　next　weekend。　I've　invited　some　people　for　Friday　night　and　I　intend　to　show　you　off。〃
　He　hesitated　only　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　〃I'm　terribly　sorry；　Denise…I　won't　be　able　to　make　it。〃
　〃But　you　must　e。〃　Her　voice　was　insistent。　〃I've　sent　out　the　invitations　and　I　can't　possibly　cancel　them。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　you　don't　understand。〃　He　felt　himself　struggling　awkwardly　to　find　the　right　words。　〃We　have　an　epidemic　here。　I　have　to　stay　until　it's　cleared　up；　then　for　a　while　at　least　there'll　be　other　things　that　must　be　done。〃
　〃But　you　said　you'd　e；　dearest…whenever　I　called　you。〃　There　was　the　slightest　hint　of　petulance。　He　found　himself　wishing　he　were　with　Denise。　He　was　sure　then　that　he　could　make　her　understand。　Or　could　he？
　He　answered；　〃Unfortunately　I　didn't　know　that　this　would　happen。〃
　〃But　you're　in　charge　of　the　hospital。　Surely；　just　for　a　day　or　two；　you　can　make　someone　else　responsible。〃　It　was　obvious　that　Denise　had　no　intention　of　understanding。
　He　said　quietly；　〃I'm　afraid　not。〃
　There　was　a　silence　at　the　other　end　of　the　line。　Then　Denise　said　lightly；　〃I　did　warn　you；　Kent…I'm　a　very　possessive　person。〃
　He　started　to　say；　〃Denise　dear；　please〃　then　stopped。
　〃Is　that　really　your　final　answer？〃　The　voice　on　the　phone　was　still　soft；　almost　caressing。
　〃It　has　to　be；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　sorry。〃　He　added；　〃I'll　call　you；　Denise…just　as　soon　as　I　can　get　away。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃do　that；　Kent。　Good…by。〃
　〃Good…by；〃　he　answered；　then　thoughtfully　replaced　the　phone。
　
　It　was　midmorning…the　second　day　of　the　typhoid　outbreak。