ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第77章

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　〃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。
　As　Dr。　Pearson　had　predicted；　while　a　few　stool　samples　had　reached　the　lab　yesterday　afternoon；　the　bulk　had　arrived　within　the　past　hour。
　The　samples；　contained　in　small　cardboard　cups　with　lids；　were　set　out　in　rows　on　the　center　table　of　the　pathology　lab。　Each　was　identified　as　to　source；　and　Pearson；　seated　on　a　wooden　chair　at　one　end　of　the　table；　was　adding　a　lab　serial　number　and　preparing　report　sheets　on　which　the　culture　results　would　be　recorded　later。
　As　Pearson　pleted　the　preliminary　paper　work；　he　passed　each　specimen　behind　him　to　where　David　Coleman　and　John　Alexander；　working　side　by　side；　were　preparing　the　culture　plates。
　Bannister；　alone　at　a　side　table；　was　handling　other　orders　on　the　lab　which　McNeil…now　enthroned　in　the　pathology　office…had　decided　could　not　be　delayed。
　The　lab　stank。
　With　the　exception　of　David　Coleman　all　in　the　room　were　smoking；　Pearson　sending　forth　great　clouds　of　cigar　smoke　to　bat　the　odor　as　lids　were　lifted　from　the　stool…specimen　cups。　Earlier　Pearson　had　silently　offered　Coleman　a　cigar　and　the　younger　pathologist　had　lighted　it　for　a　while。　But　he　had　found　the　cigar　almost　as　unpleasant　as　the　undiluted　air　and　had　allowed　it　to　go　out。
　The　youthful　hospital　messenger　who　was　Bannister's　avowed　enemy　had　derived　great　satisfaction　from　bringing　the　specimens　in；　and　with　each　new　batch　he　had　a　fresh　line　of　banter　to　acpany　it。　On　his　first　trip　he　had　looked　at　Bannister　and　announced；　〃They　certainly　found　the　right　place　to　send　this　stuff。〃　Later　he　had　told　Coleman；　〃Got　six　new　flavors　for　you；　Doctor。〃　Now；　setting　a　series　of　cartons　in　front　of　Pearson；　he　had　asked；　〃You　like　cream　and　sugar　in　yours；　sir？〃　Pearson　grunted　and　went　on　writing。
　John　Alexander　was　working　methodically；　his　mind　concentrated　on　the　work　in　hand。　With　the　same　fluidity　of　movement　which　David　Coleman　had　noted　at　their　first　meeting　he　reached　for　a　specimen　cup　and　removed　the　cardboard　lid。　He　pulled　a　petri　dish　toward　him　and；　using　a　crayon　pencil；　copied　the　number　from　the　lid　onto　the　dish。　Now　he　took　a　small　platinum　loop　fixed　to　the　end　of　a　wooden　handle　and　sterilized　it　in　a　burner　flame。　Next　he　passed　the　loop　through　the　stool　specimen；　transferring　a　small　portion　of　it　to　a　tube　of　sterile　saline。　He　repeated　the　process；　then；　using　the　platinum　loop　again；　planted　some　of　the　solution　on　the　culture　plate；　moving　the　loop　in　even；　steady　strokes。
　Now　he　labeled　the　saline　tube　and　placed　it　in　a　rack。　The　petri　dish；　with　its　culture　plate；　he　carried　across　the　lab　to　an　incubator。　There　it　would　remain　until　the　following　day　when　subcultures；　if　necessary；　could　be　begun。　The　process　was　one　which　could　not　be　hurried。
　He　turned　away　to　find　David　Coleman　close　behind　him。　On　impulse　Alexander　said　quietly；　conscious　of　Pearson　across　the　room；　〃Doctor；　there's　something　I　wanted　to　tell　you。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃　Coleman　added　a　petri　dish　himself　to　the　incubator　and　closed　the　door。
　〃I　。　。　。　that　is；　we　。　。　。　have　decided　to　take　your　advice。　I'm　going　to　apply　for　medical　school。〃
　〃I'm　glad。〃　Coleman　spoke　with　genuine　feeling。　〃I'm　sure　it　will　turn　out　well。〃
　〃What　will　turn　out　well？〃　It　was　Pearson；　his　head　lifted；　watching。
　Coleman　went　back　to　his　work　position；　seated　himself；　and　opened　a　new　specimen。　He　said　matter…of…factly；　〃John's　just　told　me　he's　decided　to　apply　for　medical　school。　I　advised　him　some　time　ago　that　he　should。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Pearson　looked　at　Alexander　sharply。　He　asked；　〃How　will　you　afford　it？〃
　〃My　wife　can　work；　for　one　thing；　Doctor。　And　then　I　thought　I　might　get　some　lab　work　out　of　school　hours；　a　lot　of　medical　students　do。〃　Alexander　paused；　then；　glancing　at　Coleman；　he　added；　〃I　don't　imagine　it　will　be　easy。　But　we　think　it　will　be　worth　it。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Pearson　had　blown　out　smoke；　now　he　put　down　his　cigar。　He　seemed　about　to　say　something　else；　then　hesitated。　Finally　he　asked；　〃How　is　your　wife？〃
　Quietly　Alexander　answered；　〃She'll　be　all　right。　Thank　you。〃
　For　a　moment　there　was　silence。　Then　Pearson　said　slowly；　〃I　wish　there　was　something　I　could　say　to　you。〃　He　paused。　〃But　I　don't　suppose　words　would　do　very　much　good。〃
　Alexander　met　the　old　man's　eyes。　〃No；　Dr。　Pearson；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　believe　they　would。〃
　
　Alone　in　her　hospital　room；　Vivian　had　been　trying　to　read　a　novel　which　her　mother　had　brought；　but　her　mind　would　not　register　the　words。　She　sighed　and　put　the　book　down。　At　this　moment　she　wished　desperately　that　she　had　not　forced　Mike　into　promising　to　stay　away。　She　wondered：　should　she　send　for　him？　Her　eyes　went　to　the　telephone；　if　she　called　he　would　e；　probably　within　minutes。　Did　it　really　matter…this　silly　idea　of　hers　of　a　few　days'　separation　for　them　both　to　think　things　over？　After　all；　they　were　in　love；　wasn't　that　enough？　Should　she　call？　Her　hand　wavered。　She　was　on　the　point　of　picking　up　the　receiver　when　her　sense　of　purpose　won　out。　No！　She　would　wait。　This　was　already　the　second　day。　The　other　three　would　go　quickly；　then　she　would　have　Mike　to　herself…for　good　and　all。
　
　In　the　house…staff　mon　room；　off　duty　for　half　an　hour；　Mike　Seddons　lay　back　in　one　of　the　deep　leather　armchairs。　He　was　doing　exactly　what　Vivian　had　told　him…thinking　of　what　it　would　be　like　living　with　a　wife　who　had　only　one　leg。
　
　Twenty…three
　
　It　was　early　afternoon。　Four　days　had　gone　by　since　the　initial　cases　of　typhoid　in　Three　Counties　Hospital　had　been　reported。
　Now；　in　the　administrator's　office；　serious…faced　and　silent；　Orden　Brown；　the　board　chairman；　and　Kent　O'Donnell　were　listening　to　Harry　Tomaselli　speaking　on　the　telephone。
　〃Yes；〃　the　administrator　said；　〃I　understand。〃　There　was　a　pause；　then　he　continued；　〃If　that　bees　necessary　we　shall　be　ready　with　all　arrangements。　At　five　o'clock　then。　Good…by。〃　He　replaced　the　phone。
　〃Well？〃　Orden　Brown　asked　impatiently。
　〃The　City　Health　Department　is　giving　us　until　this　evening；〃　Tomaselli　said　quietly。　〃If　we've　failed　to　locate　the　typhoid　carrier　by　then　we　shall　be　required　to　close　the　kitchens。〃
　〃But　do　they　realize　what　that　means？〃　O'Donnell　had　risen　to　his　feet；　his　voice　agitated。　〃Don't　they　know　it　will　practically　have　the　same　effect　as　closing　the　hospital。　You've　told　them；　haven't　you；　that　we　can't　get　outside　catering　for　more　than　a　handful　of　patients？〃
　Still　quietly；　Tomaselli　said；　〃I've　told　them；　but　it　doesn't　make　any　difference。　The　trouble　is；　the　public…health　people　are　afraid　of　an　outbreak　in　the　city。〃
　Orden　Brown　asked；　〃Is　there　any　news　at　all　from　Pathology？〃
　〃No。〃　O'Donnell　shook　his　head。　〃They're　still　working。　I　was　in　there　half　an　hour　ago。〃
　〃I　can't　understand　it！〃　The　board　chairman　was　more　disturbed　than　O'Donnell　had　ever　seen　him　before。　〃Four　days　and　ten　typhoid　cases　right　here　in　the　hospital…four　of　them　patients…and　we　still　haven't　e　up　with　the　source！〃
　〃There's　no　question　it's　a　big　job　for　the　lab；〃　O'Donnell　said；　〃and　I'm　sure　they　haven't　wasted　any　time。〃
　〃No　one's　blaming　anyone；〃　Orden　Brown　snapped；　〃not　at　this　stage　anyway。　But　we're　got　to　show　some　results。〃
　〃Joe　Pearson　told　me　they　expect　to　be　through　with　all　their　cultures　by　midmorning　tomorrow。　If　the　typhoid　carrier　is　among　the　food　handlers；　they'll　have　to　have　traced　him　by　then。〃　O'Donnell　appealed　to　Tomaselli。　〃Can't　you　persuade　the　public…health　people　to　hold　off…at　least　until　midday　tomorrow？〃
　The　administrator　shook　his　head　negatively。　〃I　tried　earlier。　But　they've　given　us　four　days　already；　they　won't　wait　any　longer。　The　city　health　officer　was　here　again　this　morning；　and　he's　returning　at　five　o'clock。　If　there's　nothing　to　report　by　then　I'm　afraid　we'll　have　to　accept　their　ruling。〃
　〃And　meanwhile；〃　Orden　Brown　asked；　〃what　do　you　propose？〃
　〃My　department　is　already　at　work。〃　Harry　Tomaselli's　voice　held　the　sense　of　shock　and　unbelief　that　gripped　them　all。　〃We're　proceeding　on　the　assumption　that　we　shal