ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第35节
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o chances with anybody senior to himself。
〃Yes； I expect we will。〃 Coleman was not sure how much the idea appealed to him。 But he shook hands with Bannister； then looked around for a place to hang the light raincoat he had brought； the morning forecast predicted thunder showers later in the day。 Once again Bannister was alert to serve and please。
〃Let me take your coat。〃 He found a wire hanger and carefully put coat and hanger on a rack near the door。
〃Thank you；〃 Coleman said。
〃That's perfectly all right； Doctor。 Now； would you like me to show you around the labs？〃
Coleman hesitated。 Perhaps he ought to wait for Dr。 Pearson。 On the other hand； two hours was a long time to sit around and he might as well be doing something in the meantime。 The labs would be his domain anyway。 What was the difference？ He said； 〃I saw part of the labs with Dr。 Pearson when I was here a few weeks ago。 But I'll take another look if you're not too busy。〃
〃Well； of course； we're always busy around here； Doctor。 But I'll be glad to take the time for you。 In fact； it'll be a pleasure。〃 The working of Bannister's mind was incredibly transparent。
〃This way； please。〃 Bannister had opened the door of the serology lab and stood back for Coleman to enter。 John Alexander； who had not seen Bannister since their argument the night before； looked up from the centrifuge in which he had just placed a blood sample。
〃Doctor； this is John Alexander。 He just started work here。〃 Carl Bannister was warming to his role of showman。 He added facetiously； 〃Still wet behind the ears from technology school； eh； John？〃
〃If you say so。〃 Alexander answered unfortably； resenting the condescension but not wanting to be rude。
Coleman moved forward； offering his hand。 〃I'm Dr。 Coleman。〃
As they shook hands Alexander said interestedly； 〃You mean you're the new pathologist； Doctor？〃
〃That's right。〃 Coleman glanced around him。 As he had on the previous visit； he could see that a lot of changes would need to be made in here。
Bannister said expansively； 〃You just look around； Doctor…at anything you want。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Turning back to Alexander； Coleman asked； 〃What are you working on now？〃
〃It's a blood sensitization。〃 He indicated the centrifuge。 〃This specimen happens to be from my wife。〃
〃Really。〃 Coleman found himself thinking this young lab assistant was a good deal more impressive than Bannister。 In appearance anyway。 〃When is your wife having her child？〃 he asked。
〃In just over four months； Doctor。〃 Alexander balanced the centrifuge and switched it on； then reached over to set a timing dial。 Coleman noticed that all the movements were economical and quick。 There was a sense of fluidity in the way this man used his hands。 Politely Alexander asked； 〃Are you married； Doctor？〃
〃No。〃 Coleman shook his head。
Alexander seemed on the point of asking another question； then appeared to change his mind。
〃Did you want to ask me something？〃
For a moment there was a pause。 Then John Alexander made up his mind。 〃Yes； Doctor；〃 he said。 〃I do。〃
Whether this meant trouble or not； Alexander thought； at least he would bring his doubts out into the open。 Last night； after the dispute with Bannister； he had been tempted to drop the whole subject of the extra test on blood samples ing to the lab。 He remembered only too clearly the dressing down he had received from Dr。 Pearson on the last occasion he had chosen to make a suggestion。 This new doctor； though； certainly seemed easier to deal with。 And even if he considered Alexander wrong； it didn't seem likely there would be any big scene。 He took the plunge。 〃It's about the blood tests we're doing…for sensitization。〃
As they had been speaking he had bee aware of Banister in the background； the older technician moving his bald head from side to side； intent on missing nothing that was said。 Now he moved forward； annoyed and aggressive； to put Alexander in his place。 〃Now listen！ If that's what you were talking about last night； you leave it alone！〃
Coleman asked curiously； 〃What was it you were talking about last night？〃
Ignoring the question； Bannister continued to lecture Alexander。 〃I don't want Dr。 Coleman bothered with stuff like that five minutes after he gets here。 Forget it！ Understand？〃 He turned to Coleman； the automatic smile switched on。 〃It's just some bee he's got in his bonnet； Doctor。 Now； if you'll e with me； I'll show you our histology setup。〃 He put a hand on Coleman's arm to steer him away。
For the space of several seconds Coleman did nothing。 Then； deliberately； he reached down and removed the hand from his sleeve。 〃Just a moment；〃 he said quietly。 Then to Alexander； 〃Is this something medical？ To do with the laboratory？〃
Deliberately avoiding Bannister's scowl； Alexander answered； 〃Yes； it is。〃
〃All right； let's hear it。〃
〃It came up； really； because of this blood…sensitization test…the one for my wife；〃 Alexander said。 〃She's Rh negative； I'm Rh positive。〃
Coleman smiled。 〃Well； that applies to plenty of people。 There's no problem…that is； as long as the sensitization test shows a negative result。〃
〃But that's the point； Doctor…the test。〃
〃What about it？〃 Coleman was puzzled。 He was not at all clear about what this young lab assistant was getting at。
Alexander said； 〃I think we should be doing an indirect Coombs test on all these samples； after the tests in saline and high protein。〃
〃Of course。〃
There was a silence which Alexander broke。 〃Would you mind saying that again； Doctor？〃
〃I said 'of course。' Naturally there should be an indirect Coombs。〃 Coleman still could see no point in this discussion。 For a serology lab this sort of thing was elementary； basic。
〃But we're not doing an indirect Coombs。〃 Alexander shot a triumphal glance at Bannister。 〃Doctor； the Rh…sensitivity tests here are all being done just in a saline solution and in high protein。 There's no Coombs serum being used at all。〃
At first Coleman was sure Alexander must be wrong。 Apparently the young technologist had been working here only a short time； no doubt he had bee confused。 Then Coleman remembered the tone of conviction in which the statement had been made。 He asked Bannister； 〃Is this true？〃
〃The way we do all our tests are according to Dr。 Pearson's instructions。〃 The elderly technician made it plain that in his opinion the entire discussion was a waste of time。
〃Perhaps Dr。 Pearson doesn't know you're doing the Rh tests that way。〃
〃He knows all right。〃 This time Bannister let his surliness e through。 It was always the same with new people。 They weren't inside a place five minutes before they started making trouble。 He had tried to be pleasant with this new doctor； and look what you got for it。 Well； one thing was for sure…Joe Pearson would soon put this fellow in his place。 Bannister just hoped he was around to see it happen。
Coleman decided to ignore the senior technician's tone。 Whether he liked it or not he was going to have to work with this man for a while。 All the same； this thing had to be cleared up now。 He said； 〃I'm afraid I don't quite understand。 Surely you know that some antibodies in the blood of pregnant women will get past a saline test and a high…protein test； whereas they won't if you go on and do a further test in Coombs serum。〃
Alexander interjected； 〃That's what I've been saying。〃
Bannister made no answer。 Coleman went on； 〃Anyway； I'll mention it to Dr。 Pearson sometime。 I'm sure he wasn't aware of it。〃
〃What shall we do about this test？〃 Alexander asked。 〃And the others from here on？〃
Coleman answered； 〃Do them in all three mediums； of course…saline； high protein； and Coombs serum。〃
〃We haven't any Coombs serum in the lab； Doctor。〃 Alexander was very glad now that he had brought this up。 He liked the look of this new pathologist。 Maybe he'd change some other things around the place。 Goodness knows； he thought； there's plenty that can stand it。
〃Then let's get some。〃 Coleman was deliberately brisk。 〃There's no shortage anywhere。〃
〃We can't just go out and get lab supplies；〃 Bannister said。 〃There has to be a purchase requisition。〃 He wore a superior smile。 There were some things； after all； these Johnny…e…latelys didn't know。
Coleman carefully kept his feelings in check。 Sometime soon it might be necessary to have a showdown with this man Bannister； he certainly had no intention of taking this kind of behavior permanently。 But the first day of arrival was obviously not the time。 He said pleasantly enough； but firmly； 〃Let me have the form then。 I imagine I can sign it。 That's one of the reasons I'm here。〃
Briefly the older technician hesitated。 Then he opened a drawer and produced a pad of forms which he handed to Coleman。
〃A pencil； please？〃
With the same reluctance Bannister produced one。 Handing it over； he said pettishly； 〃Dr。 Pearson likes to order all lab supplies himself。〃
Coleman scribbled the order and signed it。 With a tight； cool smile； 〃I expect to have a good deal more responsibility here than just ordering fifteen dollars' worth of rabbit serum；〃 he said。 〃There you are。〃 As he handed back the pad and pencil the phone rang on the other side of the lab。
It was an excuse f
